Phil Godman determined to make up for lost time as Michael Bradley welcomes back ‘old brigade’

Greig Laidlaw, who produced a superb performance in last week’s stunning 48-47 win over Racing Metro 92, drops to the bench for tonight’s clash with Munster in Limerick, which takes Bradley back to his home province, wing Tim Visser is given the weekend off and replaced by his younger brother Sep and there is a whole new front five.

However, Bradley is fortunate to be able to call in experience against a Munster team that has a reserve team look about it as all coaches strive to manage their squads to cope with a long season, Chris Paterson returning at full-back after a groin injury and Scotland stand-off Phil Godman making a first start since the opening match of the season.

Godman suffered a knee injury last September and had hoped to be able to push for the World Cup squad, but the ligaments did not heal in time for the summer camp and after he started for Edinburgh against Cardiff this September he again felt some pain in the knee. Godman enjoyed another 20 minutes off the bench but that was five weeks ago and he is desperate now to get playing again 14 months after his knee ligaments were torn.

Godman said: “It’s good to be back and I am just excited about playing again – it’s been that long really that it almost feels like when I first started playing for Edinburgh.

“And it feels like a good time to be coming back. I’ve had a few occasions in the past where we’re coming to this point in the season with the Heineken Cup behind us having had no wins or maybe one, so it’s definitely much better coming into a team that is doing well and playing with confidence.

“We now have big games with Cardiff in the Heineken and then Glasgow in the 1872 Cup to look forward to, which are games everyone wants to make sure they are involved in, but the priority for us this weekend is to get the league campaign back on track.

“It’s a tough game and there are a few other guys like me coming in who haven’t played for a while so we need to get up to speed quickly. And I’d agree that there is a responsibility on myself, Mossy [Paterson], Mike [Blair] and Ross Rennie to help us start to push back up the league.

“The performances over the past month by boys like Tim [Visser], Greig [Laidlaw], Chunk [Allan Jacobsen] and Fordy [Ross Ford] have been phenomenal – the best I’ve seen some of them play – so those of us stepping in have been given the opportunity to build on that and with that comes the responsibility to give the younger guys a bit of direction.

“It’s going to be tough but this is a great place to win and that’s what we have to do everything to achieve.” Edinburgh defeated Munster 29-14 in their home RaboDirect Pro12 match at the end of September, when the World Cup was in full flow, tries from centre Matt Scott and today’s captain and hooker Steven Lawrie proving crucial.

They are also now beginning to build up a head of steam with three wins on the bounce and could do with that spilling into a league campaign in which they currently languish third from bottom with just three wins from eight games. A win tonight, however, could propel them into the top six, depending on other results in this round, and bring the play-offs back on to the horizon.

With Visser, who trains with Edinburgh but plays with Boroughmuir, on one wing and elite development prospect Tom Brown on the other, this will be a big test for some young Edinburgh talents. But Munster are missing 13 players to injury or being rested, including internationalists Paul O’Connell, Ronan O’Gara, Keith Earls, David Wallace, Jerry Flannery, Denis Leamy and Conor Murray, and many of tonight’s side have been playing for the Munster reserve side in the British and Irish Cup.

But they do have such quality as Denis Hurley at full-back, Ian Keatley and Tomas O’Leary at half-back, and Marcus Horan, Donncha O’Callaghan and Mick O’Driscoll in a strong and combative front five.

Former player and now assistant coach Anthony Foley warned Edinburgh against taking the side lightly at Thomond Park. He said: “Look, whatever side is selected, the players all train together, all sit down and review and preview the opposition. They work together in training. So everyone understands what’s required.

“They [Edinburgh] have come off the back of two great weekends in Europe but so have we and with the game in Thomond Park, with hopefully a massive support, the opportunity is there for fellas to make a case for themselves because there are places up for grabs in the team.”