Rugby: Hopes high that Jones can prove class for Edinburgh

It was without fuss and fanfare that Lee Jones quietly slipped into the Edinburgh set-up over the summer but, even before a competitive ball has been passed or kicked, the 22-year-old Scotland sevens internationalist has been raising eyebrows with his pace and finishing power.

Leading the plaudits is new Capital chief executive Craig Docherty and, although keen to avoid crossing over into the domain of head coach Rob Moffat and others, he wasn't able to resist singling out Jones in a recent interview, saying: "Did you see the (practice) game at Boroughmuir? Guys like Lee Jones looked the part. I don't know where he is going to fit in - it is not my call - but it is lovely to see young Scottish guys who have been through all the club structure come into the pro ranks."

What Docherty said merely echoed, too, remarks on the Edinburgh fans' website, which stated: "The decent crowd for this low-profile match were treated to some sparkling back play with Lee Jones and Tim Visser sharing five tries."

In fact, Jones had a hat-trick which was in keeping with the fact that, in his last full season with Selkirk before becoming a Scotland sevens regular, he posted 16 tries from 31 starts.

Nobody is more aware, though, than Jones, who is coming to the end of a mechanical engineering degree, that he is about to take a huge step up.

"The fact Bath have already travelled to Ulster and won a pre-season friendly shows what we are up against," he says, adding: "But, from a personal point of view, it has been great to have had a full pre-season in the gym and hopefully, too, I can draw on representing Scotland sevens' in places like Wellington and Hong Kong.

"Just being part of the sevens squad provided an insight in the level of training required at pro level and, while I will be heading off to the Commonwealth Games tournament early in the season, overall I couldn't really ask for a better start."

If Jones can find the spaces at 15-a-sides he clearly creates for himself in the abbreviated game then regular opportunities should arise.

Here speed is key for a player who is expected to figure on the wing while providing back-up at scrum half.

"I did think about taking part on the Border Games circuit as a sprinter but didn't really have the time.

"At Edinburgh, I've had additional sprint training from coach Malcolm Fairweather which has really given me an edge going into the new season and, compared to where I was at last year, I feel I've made a huge improvement already thanks also to Heriot-Watt University's strength and conditioning coach, Dr Paul Gamble."

Meanwhile, Edinburgh look set to confront an old colleague in Simon Taylor, who signed for Bath over the summer.

Bath head coach Steve Meehan, says: "Playing Edinburgh will be a great guide as to where we are and how well our preparations have gone.

"All of our players will be available and will be wanting to put a good performance in."