Edinburgh Rugby injury curse forces rethink on key position for Benetton showdown

Edinburgh are likely to play James Lang, Mark Bennett or Cammy Scott at full-back in Saturday’s must-win game against Benetton after their back-three injury curse struck again. Wes Goosen, who has been outstanding all season, has been ruled out with a foot fracture and joins Emiliano Boffelli, Darcy Graham and Harry Paterson on the sidelines.

Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh head coach, has been left with just 10 fit backs for the match in Italy and will have to juggle his resources, particularly in the back three. Lang and Bennett are centres and Scott is primarily at stand-off but one is likely to wear 15 against Benetton in the club’s final league match of the regular United Rugby Championship season as they chase the victory that will guarantee them a top-eight finish and a place in the play-offs.

Lang has a bit of experience of playing at full-back during his time with Harlequins, which may swing it in his favour. That would allow Bennett to partner Matt Currie at centre, with Duhan van der Merwe and Jake Henry filling the wing berths. Henry is fit again after a hamstring injury and Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh coach, confirmed he was in contention for the game in Treviso. Scott started at full-back in the opening game of the season against Dragons but Everitt may decide to have him on the bench to cover 10 and 15. The coach said he will would it until later in the week before deciding on the make-up of his back three.

“Wes has got a foot fracture – it’s one of the small bones in his foot – so unfortunately he's not available this week, and not available next week either. We'll see how that heals,” said Everitt. “So, once again, in the back-three we are a bit short, but we do have guys who can come in to play there.

“We’ve got options at full-back. Mark Bennett has played there before, Cammy Scott as well, and James Lang – so we'll see how they all go in training this week and make a late call on Thursday. You don't want the injuries all in the same position but that’s what we’ve been dealt. As I've said before, we are fortunate to have guys who can step into those positions, but there is no doubt that losing world class players of the calibre of Darcy Graham and Emiliano Boffelli, and one of our nominees for player of the season in Wes Goosen, is tough for us. We'll make a plan. We're not looking for excuses. We've got members of the squad who can fill those positions so we are not panicking.”

Goosen was voted Edinburgh’s players’ player of the season but at the club’s annual dinner on Saturday night he hobbled up to collect the award with his foot in a protective moonboot after sustaining the injury against Munster. It would be a major surprise if he were to play again this season. Saturday’s match against Benetton comes too soon for Paterson but Everitt is optimistic the young Scotland international would be fit for the URC quarter-final should Edinburgh progress.

The capital club began the season with a surfeit of world-class options in the back three and the debate was around how they could all be accommodated. But they lost Blair Kinghorn to Toulouse in November, Boffelli to a back problem and Graham to various ailments. “Obviously the x-factor that those good players bring does create opportunities in attack,” added Everitt. “I wouldn't say that is the sole reason for the lack of bonus points, but it does play a part. Darcy played 10 games last year and scored 12 tries. We've also lost a guy like Blair Kinghorn. But we've created enough opportunities to get more bonus points so that is not an excuse.”

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