Edinburgh seal loan deal for prop Knight

Edinburgh Rugby bolstered their front-row yesterday with the six-week loan of tight-head prop Shaun Knight from Aviva Premiership side Gloucester Rugby.

Knight represented England under-20 in the final and semi-final of the 2009 and 2010 Junior World Championships, while plying his trade for the cherry and whites under the tutelage of head coach and former Scotland scrum-half Bryan Redpath.

After the 2010 championships Knight spent four months representing Counties Manakau in New Zealand’s professional domestic ITM Cup (formerly the NPC) before returning to Gloucester.

He said: “I found out that Edinburgh Rugby wanted a tight-head and jumped at the chance to get some game time in the RaboDirect PRO12.

“Every young prop wants to develop their scrummaging against experienced front-rows so this loan spell gives me the chance to take on some real quality, international, players. I also like to handle the ball which is perfect because I know that Edinburgh Rugby play an expansive game.

“It all happened really fast but since I arrived I’ve been made to feel really welcome by the players. It’s such a brilliant set-up as you would expect, being Murrayfield, so I’m very happy to be on board.”

Edinburgh head coach Michael Bradley added: “With our entire first-string front-row in the Scotland squad in New Zealand, Shaun provides invaluable cover during a crucial six-week period.”