Edinburgh Rugby duo close to returns 12 months on from serious injuries in same game

When Edinburgh played Ulster in a friendly match in Belfast this time last year the visitors’ 31-19 defeat was overshadowed by season-ending injuries sustained by two of the Scottish club’s new signings.

Rhys Litterick and Charlie McCaig both needed operations after only the briefest of appearances for their new team.

Happily, both are on the mend and, in the case of McCaig, a return is imminent.

Charlie McCaig is back in training with Edinburgh Rugby after a long-term injury. | SNS Group

Edinburgh and Ulster will meet again this Friday at Hive Stadium and centre McCaig is pushing to be involved while news around prop Litterick is also encouraging.

“Rhys is progressing nicely,” said Stevie Lawrie, the Edinburgh forwards coach. “He won't be right at the start of the season. He's got to hit a good few markers, particularly in the position that he's playing, with that type of injury.

“And McCaig's back in [training] fully and he'll be available for selection.”

Litterick, 27, who joined Edinburgh from Cardiff, damaged his Achilles in the opening stages of the match in Belfast. McCaig, 23, who signed from Exeter Chiefs, injured his knee later in the game.

Friday’s game with Ulster will come too soon for Edinburgh scrum-half Ben Vellacott who had surgery on his shoulder in the summer. With Charlie Shiel having left the club at the end of the season and new signing Louie Chapman not due to arrive from New Zealand until October, Edinburgh find themselves with only youthful options at nine but the performances of Hector Patterson at the end of last season impressed Lawrie.

The Hawick man started the final four games in the United Rugby Championship and quickly established himself.

Lawrie reckons the pugnacious Patterson is a “forwards’ scrum-half” in the mould of Gary Armstrong and you would struggle to find a better role model. The coach also enthused about the club’s other options at nine, namely Conor McAlpine, Hamish McArthur and Matt Fick, the South African-born but Scottish-qualified under-20 international who has joined the club from the Blue Bulls and impressed at the recent Junior World Championship.

“You've got Hector, who came through and took his chance,” said Lawrie. “You've got Conor McAlpine, who's also had a couple of years of experience. We've got Matt Fick, who had a really good time with the 20s, and there is Hamish McArthur, who is back in training now and had a good 20s too.

“So it's youthful, but there's quality there. And then obviously Louie Chapman arrives.”

Paterson scored tries against Zebre and Sharks in his first two matches in Edinburgh colours in April, suggesting he could make a big impact this season.

“He's from Hawick, he just takes it in his stride and he does what he needs to do,” added Lawrie. “He's a competitor, and that's what any team needs. Sort of a belligerent, like a Gary Armstrong-type, isn't he? He's a forwards' nine.”