Currie: Trip to Scotstoun ‘wouldn’t be worst thing’
Matt Currie believes that a trip to Glasgow in the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals could be one of the more preferable options for Edinburgh, but insists that his team need to focus fully on simply reaching the playoffs before they can start thinking about potential opponents.
With three rounds of the regular season to go, the prospect of an all-scottish match-up in the last eight is beginning to loom ever larger. Right now the Warriors top the 16-team table, while Edinburgh are in ninth, just a point behind eighth place.
With first being at home to eighth, second hosting seventh and so on, it would not take much of a change from their present positions for the two teams to meet.
The alternatives for Edinburgh to the short trip west are likely to be journeys to South Africa – where they have already lost three games this season – or Ireland. So Currie is aware that, logistically at least, a game in Glasgow could be less problematic.
“I suppose going through to Scotstoun might not be the worst thing,” the centre said. “South Africa would be a tough one to go away again after just being there.
“It probably doesn’t matter. You’re going to have to play some pretty good teams
either way. We’ll just take it one step at a time – hopefully we make the top eight and get that quarter-final.”
A bonus-point win against Zebre tomorrow night at the Hive would be a major step towards that top-eight finish, but Currie is taking nothing for granted against opponents who they only beat 24-19 earlier in the season.
“They’re definitely a good team, and they’ve got a bit of flair,” he continued.
“Our last game against them, they threw a fair amount at us, and we definitely felt that, in the first half in particular. Hopefully this time we can start strong and show what we’re about.”
At 23, Currie is still uncapped, and although that status looks likely to change this summer when Scotland tour North and South America, he is not looking that far ahead at present.
“I’d relish the opportunity, but the URC and the end of the season is probably my focus at the moment,” he insisted.