Dylan Richardson to Edinburgh update as key obstacle identified

Scotland's Dylan Richardson in action during the autumn series match against Australia in November. | SNS Group / SRU

Sean Everitt has confirmed that Edinburgh are keen to bring Scotland hooker Dylan Richardson to the club but it is by no means a done deal.

Richardson, 26, is a player well known to the Edinburgh coach who worked with him at the Sharks in South Africa.

He said the versatile hooker - he can also play in the back row - has been on Edinburgh’s radar for a number of years, going back to Everitt’s time coaching in Durban.

Scotland's Dylan Richardson in action during the autumn series match against Australia in November. | SNS Group / SRU

It was reported on Friday that Richardson has been identified as a potential replacement for Dave Cherry, the experienced Edinburgh and Scotland hooker who has been linked with a move to the French club Vannes at the end of the season.

Everitt said six-times capped Richardson still has two years left on his contract with the Sharks but that it was “not impossible” that a deal could be done to bring him to Edinburgh for next season.

“We’re still in talks,” said the Edinburgh head coach. “Dylan has been on our radar at Edinburgh since he was 18 years old - that’s when I was coaching him in Durban. We’ve tried for a number of years to bring him to Scotland, so who knows?”

Richardson initially made his name as a loose forward and won his first Scotland cap off the bench in the back row against Japan in the 2021 autumn series. He switched to playing mainly hooker last season and toured North and South America with Scotland in summer 2024, scoring tries in the wins over Canada (two) and Chile (one).

“I think the versatility is good for us,” added Everitt. “But like I say, he’s a Durban boy, he’s got two years left on his contract, so yeah, it’s a far cry - but not impossible.”

Born in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, Richardson came through the South African system and played for South Africa Schools and South Africa Under-20s. But his father, Neil, is from Edinburgh and the player was monitored by Scotland from an early age.

After his Test debut in 2021 he had to wait nearly 1000 days for his next cap, on last summer’s tour. He then established himself as Scotland’s second-choice hooker behind Ewan Ashman during this season’s autumn series and was named in Gregor Townsend’s 2025 Six Nations squad but a shoulder injury ruled him out.

Cherry stepped up for Scotland, starting all five Six Nations matches, with his Edinburgh team-mate on the bench. A third Edinburgh hooker, Paddy Harrison, was also in the squad.

Duhan van der Merwe receives treatment for an ankle injury during Edinburgh's win over the Dragons. | SNS Group

Everitt, meanwhile, fancies an anxious wait to see how serious the injuries are to Duhan van der Merwe and Marshall Sykes who both had to go off early during Friday night’s win over the Dragons in the United Rugby Championship.

The coach confirmed that van der Merwe had hurt his ankle and Skyes had sustained a foot injury. Speaking immediately after the match, Everitt was unsure about the severity of van der Merwe’s problem but he doesn’t expect Sykes to recover in time for next week’s Challenge Cup tie against the Lions at Hive Stadium.

“He went [off with] a plantar fascia injury,” Everitt said of Sykes. “We’re not sure how serious that is, but it is uncomfortable. So he’s probably doubtful for next week.”