Edinburgh Rugby forward backed to be in Lions selection discussion

Edinburgh's Jamie Ritchie celebrates a try against Sharks at Hive Stadium. | SNS Group

Jamie Ritchie has been a model of consistency for club and country this season and Edinburgh assistant coach Stevie Lawrie has backed him to be in the conversation for selection for the British & Irish Lions.

Andy Farrell will name his squad on Thursday and the back row is likely to be one of the most hotly contested areas.

Ritchie, 28, re-established himself as a Scotland first pick during this year’s Six Nations, starting four of the five games and coming off the bench against Ireland. The flanker impressed throughout the championship and has been in similarly fine form for Edinburgh. He was their player of the year last season and has been equally good this time around.

Edinburgh's Jamie Ritchie celebrates a try against Sharks at Hive Stadium. | SNS Group

Lawrie hopes he is one of a few Edinburgh players who are selected by Farrell, as Pierre Schoeman, Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham also push for inclusion.

“It's super competitive, isn't it?” said Lawrie. “I'd love to see a few guys involved, but I'm not making any predictions.”

Pressed on Ritchie’s chances, Lawrie added: “This year Jamie had played as well as ever. Really outstanding performances for the club and for Scotland.

Jamie Ritchie, left, pictured with Rory Darge, started four of Scotland's five Six Nations matches. | SNS Group / SRU

“He'll definitely be in their selection discussions, He’s an absolute warrior. Somebody that gets under the opposition skin as well. You need that niggle and you need that gamesmanship. He's up for every battle and I think he's shown a consistency over the last two years, which has been a credit it to him.”

Edinburgh will tap into knockout experience

Lawrie knows there could be elation and disappointment within the Edinburgh squad on the back of Thursday’s announcement but the focus will immediately shift to Saturday’s must-win game against Connacht in Galway as the capital side continue to push for a play-off place in the United Rugby Championship.

It’s the penultimate game of the regular season and Edinburgh currently lie 10th in the standings but need to make the top eight.

“You have to have sympathy - we'll have a discussion potentially with those individuals [who miss out on Lions selection], but they've got to go out and perform because 48 hours later they're going to go into battle.

“We're cognisant of it, but we're also understanding that it's about Edinburgh this weekend.”

Paul Hill, the Edinburgh prop, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a back problem and Harry Paterson is unlikely to feature against Connacht as he goes through the return to play protocols after suffering a concussion in last weekend’s home defeat by Bath in the semi-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup.

Edinburgh beat South African sides the Lions and the Bulls to make it to the last four and Lawrie hopes they can tap into that mentality to defeat Connacht and also Ulster who they will meet in their final match of the regular season at Hive Stadium a week on Saturday.

“We know the focus is obviously just on this game, and the threats that Connacht bring, but it’s also about how we use our experience of knockout rugby over the last two months, both in the EPCR and also in the league, and we need to draw on that. I think the challenge is massively exciting.”