The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Edinburgh to blood new signings
Cockerill picks ‘right combination’
Richard Cockerill plans to use every bit of the extra resources afforded to him in his second season in charge of Edinburgh.
He opens the Guinness PRO14 with a powerful looking side to take on Ospreys in Swansea.
After the success of his first season taking the capital club from a bottom three side to the play-offs, Cockerill was able to add depth to his squad in the summer.
And there’s some of that on show tonight, with Simon Hickey, Henry Pyrgos, Luke Hamilton, Pierre Schoeman and Matt Scott – although in his second spell with the club – making their first appearances.
It is definitely not the head coach’s best side, however, because he still doesn’t know what that is.
“It is the right combination for this week,” he stressed. “We have guys like WP Nel and (Magnus) Bradbury to come back into that squad.
“There are other guys not in the 23 that will get lots of game time in the season. It is the right team this week and I am looking forward to see how we go.”
Pyrgos and Hickey is a new combination and Cockerill likes the control offered by the Scotland international, who has moved along the M8 from Glasgow.
“Henry’s experience and quality has shown through in the pre-season games,” he said. “He has run the team very well, he has a nice calmness about how he plays and a nice control.
“Simon understands the game very well and while I thought Jaco (van der Walt) ran the team well last week against Newcastle, it is going to be a real good battle between those two for the 10 shirt this season.
“Competition will drive standards up.
“Jaco has improved out of sight since he arrived. He is a great option for us off the bench and he will start a lot of games.”
Blair Kinghorn, who did not play either of the pre-season matches due to strictures imposed by the international management, returns at full-back.
Bradbury has a calf strain but should be available next week, while Cockerill wants to see Nel back to full speed after recurring knee issues.
In the meantime, Simon Berghan makes his 50th appearance for the club and is “the top tight-head in Scotland” according to his coach.
“He has improved over the last year. You have seen that on the international stage and for us,” he said. “We have to keep working with Simon and I think he can get better and better.
“He needs to concentrate every time he plays. He needs to be on it and if he does then he is very good. I’m happy how he is going and at this point he is probably number one tighthead in Scotland, but he will have to work hard to keep that slot.”
Ospreys, from Conference A, had a terrible season by their standards last year but Cockerill thinks with all their internationals back, they can be a force again.
“I don’t think we have won down there since 2011, so history is not looking good for us,” he said. “But it is a game they need to win though, isn’t it? Edinburgh coming to their place for the first game of the season. Picking their best team is exactly what I would do if I were them.
“They have picked all their test players but so have we.”
Edinburgh (vs Ospreys, Liberty Stadium, tonight kick-off 7.35pm, live on Premier Sports): Blair Kinghorn; Dougie Fife, Mark Bennett, Matt Scott, Duhan van der Merwe; Simon Hickey, Henry Pyrgos; Pierre Schoeman, Stuart McInally (capt), Simon Berghan; Ben Tooles, Grant Gilchrist; Luke Hamilton, Hamish Watson, Bill Mata.
Replacements: Ross Ford, Allan Dell, Murray McCallum, Fraser McKenzie, Jamie Ritchie, Sean Kennedy, Jaco van der Walt, James Johnstone.