Emiliano Boffelli positional switch explained as Edinburgh take on Glasgow with souped up back three

Edinburgh coach Mike Blair believes he has a back three full of pace and attacking threats after switching Emiliano Boffelli to full-back for Saturday night’s 1872 Cup clash with Glasgow Warriors.

Emiliano Boffelli will play at full-back for Edinburgh against Glasgow. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

The Argentine international has been in cracking from all season, mainly from a wing berth. But the return from injury of Darcy Graham has persuaded Blair to reshuffle his back field, with Graham and Damien Hoyland filling the wing slots.

Boffelli’s selection at 15 means Jaco van der Walt drops to the bench. The stand-off has filling in at full-back following an injury to Henry Immelman.

“Boffelli is a natural back three player,” said Blair. “Jaco has done well in that role but Emilliano has been outstanding for us this season and gives us some solidity at the back.

Darcy Graham returns to the Edinburgh side after injury. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

“It means we have a quick and balanced back three and Jaco has done a good job at 15 in the meantime and shown that is a position he can play comfortably.

“Boffelli’s played at 15 a lot and he likes playing at 15 so that will work well for us. We see the back three players as being fairly interchangeable. Darcy has played a little bit at 15 and Damo has played a little bit at 15 as well. They are similar types of roles.”

Graham’s return after a thigh muscle injury will pep up the Edinburgh attack and Blair admitted he was tempted to bring him back for the Challenge Cup quarter-final against Wasps..

“Darcy has been excellent for us this season,” said Blair. “He is a top-quality international player.

“For the Wasps game he was touch and go and if it had been the last game of the season with no game to come for three months we might have risked him but we have the Glasgow game and the [URC] quarter-final to go and he has been able to get some extra work in and he is looking in good condition now.”

Dave Cherry has recovered from an arm injury and is picked at hooker, with Adam McBurney moving to the bench. Hamish Watson also returns after sitting out the Wasps game.

Ben Muncaster and James Lang are fit again and named among the replacements alongside Marshall Sykes, who returns after suspension following his red card against Zebre Parma.