Edinburgh Rugby go big for Benetton clash as 'weird start' gets hammer treatment

Scotland wingers Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe have been included for Edinburgh Rugby’s United Rugby Championship clash with Benetton on Saturday evening as the capital side look to climb the table.

Edinburgh have struggled for consistency this season in the URC and currently sit tenth. After a poor start to the season, Sean Everitt’s men won three matches in a row, before losing 22-13 to Ospreys on October 26, their last outing before the international break.

Head coach Everitt knows the importance of rediscovering the winning trail and has therefore selected both Graham and Van der Merwe, who six days ago helped Scotland defeat Australia at Murrayfield. They are joined by fellow internationalists Ali Price at scrum-half, centre Matt Currie, prop Pierre Schoeman, hooker Ewan Ashman, lock Grant Gilchrist plus back rowers Ben Muncaster and Jamie Ritchie.

Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe will start for Edinburgh Rugby. | SNS Group

Graham believes Edinburgh should be targeting five points from this fixture as they aim to get back into the play-off spots.

"It's been a weird start to the season,” said the winger. “I don't think we're far away. We clicked really well against Cardiff Blues. We got a decent win there and then almost went away from that against Ospreys. That was a wee bit frustrating. It's a must-win game, we could do with five points from it.”

On his team selection, Everitt said: “It’s great to be back to URC action, playing in front of our fans at Hive Stadium. It has felt like a while, and it’s brilliant to be back with all of our Scotland internationals available for selection. Our recent matches against Benetton have been tight affairs, and I’m expecting another big test against them on Saturday night.”

Edinburgh struggled against Benetton last season and Ritchie is another Scotland player who wants to rediscover the winning feeling after a successful spell with Scotland.

“We were quite frustrated with the two games against Benetton last season, so hopefully there will be a little bit of redemption,” Ritchie said.

“They kick the ball quite a lot. With the law changes, we will expect to see quite a few contestable kicks and they also look to play a little bit of rugby, so we will be expecting that.

“It will be a massive defensive performance for us, which will put us in good stead, and then when we have the ball we will be looking to get on the front foot.”

Everitt also welcomes the return of Scotland internationalist lock Sam Skinner who could make his injury return from the bench, while recently-capped 19-year-old back-row Freddy Douglas is also named in the replacements for a potential capital debut.

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt. | SNS Group

Wes Goosen starts at full-back, having played on the wing last time out against Ospreys, completing the back-three with Van der Merwe and Graham.

Currie and Mosese Tuipulotu start at outside and inside centre respectively, the duo having both featured in the Scotland ‘A’ win against Chile at Hive Stadium last weekend.

Scottish Building Society Player of the Month for October Ross Thompson is once again selected in the number 10 jersey, partnered by Price in the half-backs.

Schoeman (loosehead) and Ashman (hooker) start fresh from the Autumn Series matches earlier in the month, the duo joined in the front row by England international Hill (tighthead).

Gilchrist captains the side, with Marshall Sykes earning another start in the capital engine room.

In the back row, Magnus Bradbury returns at number eight, with Ritchie (blindside) and Muncaster (openside) making up the loose forwards.