Edinburgh will come alive, says Hamilton

Published on Friday 10 October 2008 23:24

WHEN the mighty Leicester fell at Murrayfield last season and watched their Heineken Cup hopes follow those of Leinster and vanish into the sky above Edinburgh, Jim Hamilton could have been forgiven a wry smile.

He sat in the stands in January, having been left out of the Leicester 22, almost as a direct result of being away with Scotland at the Rugby World Cup earlier in the season, where, ironically, he enhanced his reputation as an internationalist. That day sealed the end of a Tigers love affair and sparked a move to Scottish rugby, and this afternoon he will make his Murrayfield debut for the home team as they launch into the 14th Heineken Cup.

For the third successive year, Leinster's cup journey brings them to Murrayfield – they also met in their opening match of the 2000-1 competition – and with the Dubliners yet to strike a victory there can be no under- estimating their desire come the whistle at 1.35pm.

Edinburgh's four-defeats-from-five start to the Magners League, similarly, has increased the home players' appetite for starting afresh in Europe. But few possess a longing to prove themselves like Hamilton. His first starts for his new club, defeats in Newport and Ulster, came only in the last two weeks after recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in Dublin, in February, playing for Scotland against Ireland in the RBS Six Nations Championship.

He said: "I've got three games under my belt, one full game, and I'm 100 per cent going into it and really looking forward to it.

"I'm really enjoying things at Edinburgh. The competition across Scotland has heated up, which is good, but if I can play well in this big game then that will give me a chance of keeping my place, which wasn't the case at Leicester.

"It was massively frustrating last year. The Heineken Cup is a huge tournament, the next step to international rugby, and it has a special feel about it; players get excited and everyone wants to play in it. I'm so excited to be getting a chance to start for my first time at Murrayfield in an Edinburgh jersey and I just want to play a part in helping this club go to the next level."

Where that is remains a big question, because we are not quite sure where Edinburgh's current level is. New ground seemed to be broken with wins over Leinster and Leicester and running Toulouse to within four points last term, but, ultimately, that was not as good as the 2003-4 campaign where victories over Leeds and the Ospreys, home and away, and Toulouse at home, clinched a quarter-final berth.

A fine finish to the Magners League suggested growing promise, but for all the energy and flickers of fine rugby this season, just one win has been achieved in five league matches.

Hamilton believes the results belie Edinburgh's real ability and draws on his experiences at Leicester, where "the whole club, not just the players, came alive" at Heineken Cup time. "Last year showed where Edinburgh were going," he said.

"They knocked Leicester and Leinster out of the cup and were unfortunate not to beat Toulouse at home, but that should give the players here confidence because they have shown that they have big-time players and they can beat teams at this level.

"Leicester under-estimated Edinburgh up here after nilling them at home; they thought it would be an easy ride, and Edinburgh have shown you have to come here and really work to win. There is definitely more respect for Edinburgh in England and elsewhere I think now.

"Clubs have seen what a job Andy (Robinson] has done here; the guys are playing with much more structure now. But I still think we go into this game as underdogs.

"I'm excited about this group. It's a difficult group – Wasps have won the cup twice and know what it takes, Europe is Leinster's big aim of the season, and Castres are a tough side, especially away from home – but I think there is a chance for us to do something special there."

There is a veritable feast of duels across the pitch today, from international full-backs Chris Paterson and Girvan Dempsey, to wings Simon Webster and Shane Horgan, from centres Brian O'Driscoll and Nick de Luca to Felipe Contepomi and Phil Godman at fly-half. Mike Blair will face off with ex-Wallaby scrum-half Chris Whitaker, and there is an engrossing battle between the young No8s Allister Hogg and Jamie Heaslip.

But it is the front five – where huge props Springbok CJ van der Linde and Cook Islander Stan Wright hold a near four-stone advantage over Allan Jacobsen and Geoff Cross, and where Hamilton squares up to 30-year-old Leinster skipper Leo Cullen in the lineout – upon which the whole match could be determined.

Hamilton is just 25, but the experience of Edinburgh's biggest player in height and weight will be crucial, as will the ability of this entire Edinburgh squad to put league frustration behind them and show their class.

HEINEKEN CUP WEEKEND

LAST NIGHT

Pool 1: Munster L, Montauban L Pool 3: Perpignan v Treviso 8.00

TODAY

Pool 1: Clermont Auvergne v Sale (1.35); Pool 2: Edinburgh v Leinster (1.35)

Pool 4: Scarlets v Harlequins (3.30); Ulster v Stade Francais (3.30); Pool 5: Dragons v Glasgow (2.30); Pool 6: Calvisano v Cardiff Blues (1.35); Gloucester v Biarritz (5.30).

TOMORROW

Pool 2: Wasps v Castres (3.00); Pool 3: Leicester v Ospreys (1.00); Pool 5: Toulouse v Bath (3.00)

HEINEKEN CUP 2008/09

POOL 1

Munster, Sale, Clermont Auvergne, Montauban

MUNSTER lost their opener last season and still finished with the trophy, and they are knitting into a more complete 15-man side now, notably with wide threats Doug Howlett and youngster Keith Earls, under new Australian coach Tony McGahan.

Sale have won the Challenge Cup and reached the last eight of the main event once, but four wins from five in the Premiership and the presence of Charlie Hodgson, Rory Lamont, Luke McAllister, and new scrum-half Dwayne Peel – and Jason White can't get into the pack – shows they have the ability to do it again. Clermont Auvergne topped the French Top 14 last season, before losing in the play-off final to Toulouse, while Montauban are building a new era, with Scotland lock, Scott Murray, and flying 6ft 4in Fijian wing, Vilimone Delasau, at its heart – and could surprise at home.

Favourites: Munster

Scots to watch: Scott Murray (Montauban).

POOL 2

Wasps, Leinster, Castres, Edinburgh

ALL the Wasps talk is around Danny Cipriani, the stunning young fly-half, but he has had injury problems, and the team need more than him to rise out of their sluggish early-season form. Leinster have bought shrewdly in the summer with CJ van der Linde, the Springbok tighthead, bringing real ballast to the front row and Rocky Elsom adding some much-needed punch off the back of the scrum, but they need to break their Murrayfield hoodoo to lift hope. Castres do not have so many star names, bar France captain Lionel Nallet in the second row, and have appeared all grunt and little flair this season, but this pool could be decided by who best cracks the Castres nut in France. Edinburgh have the bubbling young promise, and the return of Chris Paterson and addition of Jim Hamilton should prove invaluable in this rarefied arena.

Favourites: Leinster

Scots to watch: Edinburgh have them all in this group

POOL 3

Leicester, Perpignan, Ospreys, Treviso

THIS comes closest to the 'Pool of Death' with any one of the top three – Treviso will not win it – having the ability and strength in depth to win the title outright. Leicester seem happier with South African, Heyneke Meyer, at the helm and former Pumas coach Marcelo Loffreda long gone, and are currently sitting second in the Premiership. The Ospreys have spent greatly, have a wonderful stadium and so much strength in depth, but will the incentive of a forthcoming British and Irish Lions tour finally get the Welsh juices flowing in Europe? All Black fly-half Dan Carter misses Perpignan's first two games, as does suspended Nathan Hines, but Chris Cusiter insists that European success is a priority for U.S.A.P. after they lost in last year's quarter-finals.

Scots to watch: Chris Cusiter and Nathan Hines (Perpignan), Nikki Walker (Ospreys).

Favourites: Leicester

POOL 4

Stade Francais, Scarlets, Ulster, Harlequins

HARLEQUINS are the dark horses in this pool; sitting fourth in the Premiership with All Black pivot Nick Evans pulling the strings. Stade Francais are the favourites and the continued presence of Scotland No8 Simon Taylor in the second row underlines their depth of quality – added to by Aussie Rugby League star Mark Gasnier – while the Scarlets and Ulster are both struggling so far this season, even with David Lyons and Kees Meeuws in the former's pack.

Scots to watch: Simon Taylor (Stade Francais), Scott MacLeod (Scarlets), Rob Dewey and Simon Danielli (Ulster).

Favourites: Stade Francais

POOL 5

Toulouse, Bath, Newport Gwent Dragons, Glasgow

WITH Max and Thom Evans, and Lome Fa'atau finding their feet after a while bedding in, and John Barclay, Johnnie Beattie and Kelly Brown maturing into a formidable back row, Glasgow should cause upsets, while the Dragons will be hoping to also with their new summer signings. But the big two are Bath, the reigning European Challenge Cup champions and Premiership leaders and perennial contenders Toulouse. Best chance of opening up group is if Glasgow can upset them early at Firhill next week.

Scots to watch: Outside Glasgow there is Robbie Kydd (Bath) and Andy Hall (Dragons)

Favourites: Toulouse

POOL 6

Biarritz, Gloucester, Cardiff, Calvisano

THE Basques have started poorly in France, but the start of European competition will undoubtedly lift the former finalists and while Cardiff are hot tips, and have exceptional talent, Gloucester could triumph here with the skills of Olly Barkley added to a back line that is already the envy of many clubs. Ryan Lamb will hold much of Gloucester's hopes in his performances – if he rises to the occasion put money on the Cherry-and-Whites. Calvisano may trip up any unsuspecting sides in Italy, but should have little effect.

Scots to watch: Rory Lawson, Alasdair Strokosch, Alasdair Dickinson, Scott Lawson, David Young (all Gloucester)

Favourites: Cardiff