Helu hopes to help younger backs to see way forward
Tongan star aims to marshal three-quarter line and build on pack’s good work by adding cutting edge
ET good possession and you have already won half the battle. Do something decent with it and you are home and dry. Will Helu is sure that Edinburgh Rugby have already completed the first part of that equation – and accepts that a lot of the onus is on him to sort out the second part.
The Tongan internationalist, who has joined the capital team from Wasps, has been impressed by the Edinburgh pack, and believes that in this coming season the backs must learn to do more with the decent ball that they receive. As he is now, at 29, one of the most experienced members of the squad, Helu knows that he will have to take a lead in that respect.
“I’ve been playing in the Premiership. I’ve heard the PRO12 is a more open, running kind of competition,” the winger-cum-centre says.
“Edinburgh are always known for their forward pack – I’ve watched a few games and the pack has really taken it to the teams. If the backs can really mix it up with that and do some good work on the top of that, it can be a dangerous team to play for. Our depth in the forwards is amazing. There’s a lot of go forward, and in rugby if you’re going forward there has got to be space somewhere.
“It could be out wide or it could be up the middle. It’s finding the right balance of when to unleash that into the backs – and hopefully we can find that balance this year. The forwards work tirelessly, so we have to help them out.”
Such help from Helu will be especially valuable during the Rugby World Cup, when so many of Edinburgh’s senior players will be missing. Helu took part in the tournament himself four years ago, but this time round is happy to work with a group of young players whose attitude and ability have already impressed him.
“It’s going to be tough, but the positive side is that we might unearth some future Scotland players at this time, especially with the World Cup on. I’m sure that’s happened in the past, so I’m looking forward to have a run out with these young guys and see what they can do.”
He is particularly looking forward to having a run out at Murrayfield, a stadium with which he is so far only familiar thanks to a computer game. “When I was growing up, I used to play Rugby 08 on the PlayStation, and stadiums that come up are always your Twickenham, Eden Park, Murrayfield, Ellis Park . . . . It’s going to be a childhood dream to get out at Murrayfield and get a game under my belt there.”
Meanwhile, Glasgow Warriors have confirmed that they will play two pre-season games in France and Canada. The first match, on Friday 14 August against Clermont Ferrand, takes place at the end of a week-long training camp in France. The second, against Canada, will be played in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday 29 August.
“Clermont will provide the ideal test for us ahead of the new season,” Gregor Townsend, Glasgow’s head coach, said. “We’re also really looking forward to travelling to Nova Scotia to play Canada, an excellent opportunity to play a top-class international side.”
In between the two matches the Warriors will be based in Glasgow for a week of training, including an open training session at Scotstoun on Friday 21 August. They fly to Canada the following Tuesday.
Fixtures