AS EDINBURGH'S rugby season draws to a conclusion with a Magners Celtic League trip to Llanelli Scarlets tomorrow, chairman Gavin Hastings today paid tribute to the stars who have helped the side stand on the brink of a highest-ever finish.
By preserving an unbeaten record in the valleys this term – wins at Cardiff and Ospreys as well as a draw at Dragons have already been secured – Edinburgh will consolidate their highest-ever position of fourth. It could even be third depending on wh
ether Glasgow can win at Munster.
That in itself is cause for celebration, according to Hastings, though some individual displays have also caught the eye of the ex-Scotland and Lions captain.
"Mike Blair has been quite outstanding all season long and revelling in the role whenever appointed captain with Edinburgh or Scotland," he said.
Blair is in action tomorrow as Edinburgh seek to inflict an unprecedented three straight defeats on the Scarlets at Stradey Park since the Celtic League was set-up, as is Nick De Luca.
Centre De Luca also earns high marks from Hastings while those currently injured are not overlooked. "I thought Ross Rennie was outstanding this year especially in the (European Cup) match at Toulouse.
"In every game Ross played he seemed to be tireless as well as looking to enjoy himself," said Hastings.
The message from Hastings is that, by continuing to build on "some wonderful results with a home European Cup win over Leicester the highlight" it is not inconceivable that Edinburgh will be represented on next year's Lions tour of South Africa.
That said, former Watsonian Hastings feels that, while Blair is the front runner for the Lions scrum-half position, matters will come to a head next season.
Drawing on his experience of leading the Lions to New Zealand in 2003, Hastings said: "I think (Scotland lock) Jim Hamilton is a fantastic signing from Leicester who can use Edinburgh as a springboard to the Lions.
"What will count above all, though, is performances in the Heineken Cup and Six Nations. I'm not sure that anyone will be picked for the Lions tour in the way they maybe operated before, which could be based on loyalty.
"The potential people involved are going to be too experienced and too savvy not to take guys who are in top form."
If Hamilton is heading in the right direction so far as the best-of-British and Irish is concerned, what of the other big signing, Chris Paterson?
Hastings says of the player, most of whose 86 caps have been earned in his old full-back position: "Chris will have to score tries, make breaks and generally do everything right, which I hope he does.
"While I am a huge admirer of Chris' kicking (33 out of 33 for Scotland] he is not going to make a Lions tour purely on goal- kicking ability."
What is clear is that Hastings wants the highest number of flag bearers from Edinburgh.
As far as his own position is concerned, he said: "I always said I was going to ease my way back in (to rugby) in a small way.
"I see my role as generally increasing awareness of Edinburgh and its commercial interests. We've come from a long way back and done incredibly well."
Born and bred in the city, Hastings added: "I see mass potential for Edinburgh.
"People love coming to Edinburgh, one of the great capital cities of Europe.
"We want teams competing at the highest level and that is what rugby is endeavouring to do. I can see within the next ten years that we could become one of the best in Europe and the big challenge is to get a dedicated stadium for the team, which would be fantastic, though it isn't going to happen straightaway.
"What we need is everyone pulling in the right direction ... if we have to go after one of the best players in the world, let's do it.
"Some people raised eyebrows when (All Blacks captain) Todd Blackadder arrived and he did a great job.
"Signing another like Todd would be signal of intent that we are serious about competing."
Hastings was speaking at the announcement this week that one of Edinburgh's up-and-coming stars, Roddy Grant, had been awarded a scholarship which will see the flanker link up for the New Zealand season with Auckland University, where Hastings once played.
Meanwhile, victory tomorrow would give Edinburgh a league double over the Scarlets.
They have lost only once to the Welshmen in their last five meetings in all competitions – a record that all concerned with the Capital outfit want to see continue.
The full article contains 787 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
