New recruits from Brazil eager to give Edinburgh Accies an edge

Prop forward Leonardo Pereira, 20, and utility back Edouard Clark, 19, could be set to make history by becoming the first Brazilian internationalists to turn out in Scotland.

What's more the youngsters have come fresh from attending top-class rugby academies in South Africa – Pereira at the Pretoria-based Blue Bulls while Clark was attached to Natal Sharks.

It is early days so far as ascertaining their true potential is concerned as Accies have not been able to fulfil a fixture since Saturday, 12 December and training has only been possible indoors or on Portobello beach.

But both players have told the Evening News they are keen to make the most of any opportunity in Scotland with their stays liable to be extended depending on applications to attend university in Edinburgh.

For Clark, a scrum half who has also adapted to playing on the wing, this is the latest stop in a globe-trotting rugby career as he explained. "I'm originally from Belgium and played my first game there aged six before my father's job took us to Brazil.

"I was able to continue playing there and won under-18 caps against Venezuela, Peru and Colombia before contacting the Sharks who invited me to spend nine months at their academy during which I turned out for a local club side as well as training five times a week.

"The whole experience helped me improve all my basic skills which I look forward to developing further at an Accies club I contacted because they are the oldest in Scotland.

"I've also watched two or three dvds of Accies and the whole set-up compares favourably with Brazil, where sometimes as few as five people would turn up for a club training session. In Brazil rugby is developing very slowly. Here I have more of a chance to go as far as I can but firstly I must learn to deal with the cold."

According to Pereira, a 6ft 3in and 19st 6lb prop, the reason for that is down to local culture. "Brazilian people are very passionate and the likes of football and volleyball allows them better self expression than rugby with its disciplines."

Clearly the passion for rugby burns strongly, though, in a player who got the bug after his brother visited New Zealand and was introduced to the game.

"I started playing with Rio Rugby and became selected for Brazil under-19s when I was 16 against the touring Lancaster Royal Grammar School.

"When I contacted Accies (coach) Ian Barnes told me that opportunities were always there for prop forwards and I hope to undertake a chemical engineering degree in Edinburgh which would mean being here for five years.

"First of all, though, I have to recover from a cut hand sustained just before I travelled to Edinburgh last week." Barnes said: "My first impressions are that Edouard and Leonardo could be thereabouts when it comes to selecting first-team squads once we get a chance to see what they can do. Already they've been making contributions in assisting with coaching some potential youth recruits."

Meanwhile, Accies are despondent about the possibility of Raeburn Place being playable for Saturday's derby with Boroughmuir and in the longer term count Barnes amongst sceptics regarding any switch to summer rugby.

The former Scotland second row favours playing more often on spring evenings but says there would be practical difficulties to overcome.

"There have been knee-jerk reactions in some places to the idea of switching the season and one question that would have to be asked concerns availability of pitches later in the year.

"I accept there is a problem regarding cancellations but it isn't a new problem and there has to be a rational response.

"I don't know, if push came to shove, just how many officials or even players would want to switch to a time of the year when they already have other things to do."