Taylor-made to take centre stage and give Cockerill a selection issue
GEORGE TAYLOR has made life a little tougher for Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill — but the 22-year-old is anxious to make it trickier still for his boss.
The centre profited from squad rotation to earn his first European start in the capital side’s Challenge Cup win at Agen on Friday.
He seized the opportunity, scoring two tries and winning the Man-ofthe-Match award in the 31-10 win.
Taylor is now desperate for more action. Operating in a position where Edinburgh has a rich seam of talent, the Borderer knows he has to raise his game whenever the chances arise.
Such an occasion came on Friday night when, knowing that Agen are currently more preoccupied with a lowly league position than on making progress in Europe, Cockerill took the chance to assess the depth of his squad.
That meant a call-up for several youngsters in a side heavy with experience in the shape of four men who played at the World Cup.
And Taylor was among the beneficiaries, admitting that the presence of the experienced players ensured youthful eagerness wasn’t allowed to damage the overall objective of securing a precious away win.
‘There are leaders throughout the team who keep the individuals in check,’ he said.
‘It could have been difficult when Agen got three points and then that try in the second half.
‘But we kept our structure. All throughout the week, boys knew where they were playing and when we were all on the same page, we really clicked.’
Taylor featured twice in a slick move that ended with him touching down for Edinburgh’s first try.
He was also on hand to finish off the second touchdown after the Agen defence had been stretched by quick-ball transfer.
But there was much more to his game than that brace of tries, vital though they were.
He also helped his team play a game built on high-paced execution that produced some sublime rugby in the first half.
Then, when the French outfit enjoyed a spell on top after the break, he played his part in restricting them to a single try. Edinburgh survived that spell of intense pressure then escaped from their own 22, allowing them to finish the match strongly and eventually clinch a bonus-point try late in the game.
‘The talk when we were under the sticks was just to keep our cool and return to our structure — because obviously that works,’ said Taylor.
‘After that great defensive set on our five-metre line, when we chased 90 metres up the field, the boys then had more belief that we could go and get at Agen’.
Taylor believes that Edinburgh’s strength at centre ensures that everyone performs well when the chances come their way.
But, he insists, there is support rather than rivalry among the candidates for the position.
‘Last season was a lot more difficult for me,’ he declared. ‘This time, Matt Scott has helped me along a lot.
‘I had a meeting with the head coach about my position. He trusted me at 12 when Matt Scott’s ankle wasn’t quite right and he has now shown more faith in me.
‘For me, it’s just about backing up these performances week after week and trying to keep pushing the likes of Chris Dean and Matt Scott at 12 and also James Johnstone and Mark Bennett.
‘I know that it’s quite a lot of competition but it’s really great for the club.
‘Obviously, I love to see the likes of Mark Scott and Mark Bennett do well. They have both been good at the start of the season.
‘But the better they do, the harder I’ve got to train and the better I’ve got to play. It’s extra motivation.’
The second round of European fixtures brings more French opposition for Edinburgh, with Bordeaux visiting BT Murrayfield on Friday night.
Their coach, Christophe Urios, makes no secret of his side’s ambitions to reach the knockout stage.
Cockerill will pick a side that combats the strengths of a team that currently sits second in the French Top 14. And Taylor believes that his showing against Agen has boosted his hopes of being involved.
He said: ‘The boys have shown what we can do. We went to France, a difficult place to play, and took five points.
‘The boys really stepped up, so it makes the coach’s job more difficult.’