Cockerill sets challenge to land a first knockout win

RICHARD Cockerill has challenged his Edinburgh players to prove they can handle the pressure of knockout rugby and take the Scottish side into a first PRO14 final by beating Ulster at Murrayfield next Saturday.

While rivals Glasgow have reached eight semifinals and three finals – winning the trophy in 2015 – over the past decade, this is the first time the capital club have reached the last four.

Edinburgh are aiming to reach a first major final since the European Challenge Cup final of 2015 but have yet to win a knockout game since Cockerill took over in 2017.

They have lost three quarter-finals – one at home to Cardiff Blues in the European Challenge Cup, and two against Munster, in the PRO14 two years ago and the European Champions Cup at Murrayfield last season.

“We could easily have won those games against Munster if we had been a bit smarter,” said Cockerill, who has extended his contract until 2023.

“But the players are more mature now, they are playing Test matches and doing it at a high level, so they need to do it for us next Saturday, simple as that.

“It is time for us to step up and perform in big games, and not just be a bonus if we are competitive. We expect to be able to pick our best side, we will prepare well and we should be looking realistically to beat sides like Ulster here.”

A first home defeat of the season on Friday was not the way Edinburgh would have wanted to welcome back fans – around 700 – to a rugby stadium in the UK for the first time since March.

Glasgow, whose own play-off hopes ended with last week’s 30-15 defeat by Edinburgh, picked a stronger side and had the edge up front, captain Fraser Brown celebrating his 100th game for the club with a first-half try.

The only real moment of attacking quality in a scrappy affair led to Ratu Tagive’s clinching score on the hour.

But having made ten changes, rested several key men and given others a first outing in six months with an eye on Ulster, Edinburgh could afford to be sanguine in defeat.

“We’ve just got to use it as a kick up the backside and turn up on Monday ready to train for what is a massive game for the club and for Scottish rugby,” said centre Chris Dean.

“Ulster are really direct and aggressive; we know what to expect. If we get our defensive work right we will be in a really good position if we can hold onto the ball and put pressure on them at the right times.”