Cross aims to become Scots mainstay after committing to Edinburgh until 2010

Published on Tuesday 31 March 2009 22:25

GEOFF Cross has turned down Guinness Premiership clubs to sign a year's extension to stay with Edinburgh having fully recovered from a traumatic Scotland debut in February.

The 26-year-old prop returned to action last week in Edinburgh's comfortable 32-5 win over Connacht and with Andy Robinson naming the same 22 to face Cardiff at Murrayfield this Friday night Cross resumes for his second appearance since suffering a very public injury at the national stadium six weeks ago.

He is hopeful that pledging himself to Edinburgh at least until the summer of 2010 will help to ensure he returns to the Scotland jersey and creates more memories to follow that of his international debut, which ended with him being stretchered off after 20 minutes against Wales in the opening RBS Six Nations Championship match with a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Lee Byrne, the Wales full-back.

Cross said: "I have got my chance (new contract] because this is an excellent environment to grow in, and the evidence of that is how I have progressed this season. My agent advised me that to come out of contract in a World Cup year is not always advisable, so I didn't want a two-year deal, but I'm very happy at Edinburgh and my plan is to perform for next season and see what happens.

"I have a dream to play in the World Cup and haven't achieved that yet, so that's something I hope playing at Edinburgh can help me achieve. There was interest from Guinness Premiership clubs and that was very flattering. It was a novelty to have a choice – that hasn't happened before. I spoke with Euan Murray (Northampton and Scotland tighthead], and having listened to him and a lot of people, I felt this was still the best environment for me to grow.

"I look back at that (debut] now as being just a good learning experience and water under the bridge. It was traumatic at the time, more for my family who were in the stand watching and most of whom are doctors. When they saw me fall to the ground I imagine they were quite concerned. But, I am not going to look for sympathy. The first I knew of (Byrne] was when his knee connected with my temple, or maybe a fraction of a second before when I realised I was committed and it was impossible to avoid him.

"But if you're going to play an international match and try to catch a high ball not looking in front of you then that's what you get. The moral of the story is 'look and jump' – if I'd done one of them I'd have come off a lot better. But, it was good to get back in the saddle last week and get a five-point win – I'm looking forward to facing Cardiff now."

Edinburgh have also signed Ross Samson, the former under-20 internationalist, an ex- Stewart's Melville scrum-half who is currently with Newcastle Falcons' academy, and he will join next season, by which time Ben Meyer, the Kiwi scrum-half, will have left the club.

Robinson said: "Geoff has fought hard to get a spot this year and has played well, and I think he showed on Friday the development he has made. He didn't start from scratch and we thought he might have after such a lay-off, but he came back and played as well as he has played all year. It shows the developments he has made and how fit he has become, and what pleased me was seeing how he carried the ball, taking a ball from Nick De Luca and running 20 metres in the last try.

"It's good that he's committed himself to Edinburgh for at least one more year. He's had offers from down south, but he's chosen to stay and while that's good for us, it's also very good for him. He's been in the squad for a year, but there's a lot more progress he's got to make and we can help him here.

"Ross is also an exciting young talent who impressed me when he played for our back-up squad and this is an opportunity for us to bring another good, young Scottish player through."

Whether Robinson is at Edinburgh next season remains to be seen, as there is a better-than-even chance of the Edinburgh chief making the step up into the Scotland job by the time the squad return for pre-season training. However, he is focused right now on following a best Magners League finish of fourth in his first term with another best-ever finish, at least one place higher, this season.

"It took us a bit of time to select this squad because some players under-performed at the weekend, though some put their hand up, but we felt it was right to give these guys another chance to prove they have what it takes to play for Edinburgh.

"I'm looking for improved performances from a number of players who dropped off at the weekend. It's important now that we get the consistency from these guys and they all step up this weekend. The next three games are a good test for us to know where we have got to this season – Cardiff, Leinster and Ospreys – three teams in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup. Now, it's whether we have learnt from good bits and good play we've had and put it all together in three performances."

Edinburgh (v Cardiff at Murrayfield on Friday 3 April, 7.30pm): C Paterson; A Turnbull, B Cairns, N De Luca, S Webster; P Godman, M Blair (capt), K Traynor, R Ford, G Cross, C Hamilton, J Hamilton, S Newlands, A Hogg, A MacDonald. Subs: A Kelly, G Kerr, S MacLeod, M Mustchin, G Laidlaw, D Blair, J Houston.