Toolis admits complacency has been an issue for inconsistent Edinburgh

Lock forward Ben Toolis became the latest in a long line of Edinburgh players down the years to face the media and search for some kind of explanation for the team’s frustrating inability to build any kind of consistency.

Last Friday’s 20-17 home defeat by Italian side Benetton Treviso, after wins over Cardiff and Dragons, was the latest banana skin pratfall by the capital pro team and Toolis admitted that complacency was an undeniably key part of the problem.

“We’ve had this environment and this nature where you feel like we’ll be fine, we’ll get out of it and win but we never actually do,” said the 25-year-old Scotland internationalist, pictured right.

“Sometimes maybe the team thinks one individual will do it and step up. We need to realise it’s a team effort and we all need to step up. That’s been a problem in the past.

“Against Cardiff and the Dragons there was a bit of a change and we got out of the deep end, came away with the win and pushed on. There were positives there. But against teams we would expect to win against there needs to be improvement there.

“You need to have motivation to keep scoring points and have a really good win. I think we are improving. It’s not going to happen overnight but I’m sure it will happen.” Toolis admitted there had, as expected, been some tough talking early in the week but said there was confidence a lot of things could be put right in tomorrow’s testing trip to face the reigning champions Scarlets in Llanelli.

“Obviously it will be extremely difficult, especially down there. It’s a tough place to play,” he added.

“That being said, we beat them last year at home when they had big names playing: Jonathan Davies, John Barclay and James Davies.

“It’s a different story playing them down there but I’m sure we can do it if we play well. The loss we took on Friday night will have the boys on their toes to get that back and get a good result. We don’t think we can’t do it.” integral part of the Heriot’s squad that won the BT Premiership and Cup double during the 2015/16 season, Fraser signed a fulltime professional deal with Edinburgh Rugby in May 2017, alongside Tom Galbraith and Callum Hunter-hill.

However, he said he had decided to take a step back from professional rugby in order to focus on a career in commercial property.

Speaking to edinburghrugby.org, Fraser said: “I am really grateful to Scottish Rugby and Edinburgh Rugby for supporting my education during training, and for their recognition of how important it is for young players in today’s professional game.”