Edinburgh’s signing of Kiwi Ben Atiga shows intent

FORMER All Black Ben Atiga is to join Edinburgh Rugby on a two-year deal as efforts to strengthen the Scottish professional sides continue.

The capital side is preparing for a Heineken Cup semi-final against Ulster in Dublin on 28 April, the first time a Scottish team has reached the last four, and coach Michael Bradley was hoping a side effect of their European run would be attracting the kind of top-class talent necessary to build on that success. Bradley has already recruited highly-rated South African prop WP Nel, Georgian back row Dimitri Basilaia, and utility back Greig Tonks from Northampton, as well as Wales caps John Yapp and Richie Rees.

Atiga, 5ft 10ins and 15st 10lbs, was capped once by the All Blacks in 2003, and will provide competition at centre and full-back, raising further doubts over the future of John Houston, Ben Cairns and Jim Thompson.

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Bradley said of the 28-year-old: “Ben has proven his ability on some of the toughest stages in world rugby and will be a formidable option at centre and full-back for at least the next two seasons. He’s a very impressive package of agility, power and skill and I believe he’ll make a big impact, both from a performance perspective but also in bringing on the many talented young players we have at the club.

“This season Edinburgh made history by reaching the Heineken Cup semi-finals for the first time but we’re not finished yet. We want to be challenging for honours in all competitions and believe we are making the right appointments in the right places to mount that kind of campaign in the seasons ahead.”

Atiga has toured Scotland three times, most recently when he starred in the Under-21 World Cup held in Glasgow. However, his career waned in the senior ranks and he only recently returned after quitting the sport to start his own business.