Edinburgh need to put down roots says Richard Cockerill

Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill. Picture: SNS

While wanting to leave  decisions about the club’s long-term home to other  people as he focuses on tonight’s crucial Guinness Pro14 clash with Leinster, Cockerill clearly wants the ground situation sorted out sooner rather than later.

As revealed in The Scotsman this week, plans are in the offing to construct a new home in the shadow of the national stadium. For tonight anyway the team are at Myreside as they look to get some more vital league points under their belts.

“This season we have made positive strides, we are improving as a club on and off the field,” Cockerill said.

“[Managing director] Jonny Petrie and the backroom staff are trying to drive this place forward, make it better. If we can get some roots down and have a permanent stadium in the near future we can start to build this club as Glasgow have.

“This is the next stage for us. The least of our worries is where we play.

“We just need a permanent home we can make our own and be viable to play at.

“The details around what we are going to do is not for me to discuss, but we will concentrate on getting the best team we can on the field and playing as well as we can.”

Edinburgh go into the match in fourth place in Pro14 Conference B against a Leinster side who are second in the same conference.

A host of top line stars are missing, but one player who does return – following a ban – is back-row John Hardie.

He starts on the bench and Cockerill said: “It is good to have him back, but I didn’t really think about him starting. Jamie Ritchie has played very well and Luke Crosbie has also been really good. John has played 15 minutes of rugby in the last 14-15 weeks.

“Unfortunately he got a whack when he was playing for Hawick [in the BT Premiership a fortnight ago]. John is very keen to make amends and get back on the field.”

Meanwhile, stand-off Duncan Weir has travelled south to Worcester Warriors ahead of a proposed short-term loan, the Scotland cap’s contract being up this summer.