Edinburgh Rugby signing has eye for a try as he reveals favoured position - and his new flat-mate
Gwynn ready for step up as he swaps English second tier for URC
With eight tries in 16 games in England’s second tier, Geordie Gwynn knows his way to the line and Edinburgh’s new signing is hoping to reproduce the form he showed last season at Ealing Trailfinders.
He acknowledges the United Rugby Championship is a step up and says this has already been reflected in the training standards at his new club. But he has settled in quickly, helped by the fact he knows so many of the Edinburgh players from his experience with Scotland Under-20s and the Emerging Scotland squad.
He sought their advice before making the move north and has even moved in with one - Gwynn is sharing a flat with Tom Currie, the young Edinburgh back-rower.
“We played a game [for Emerging Scotland] against Tonga just before Christmas and then had a bit of a chat about coming up here,” said Gwynn.
“I spoke with some of the boys, and I’ve actually moved in just up the road with Tom Currie as well, one of my friends and teammates from the under-20s.
Adaptability is an asset
“It’s all worked out quite nicely, and it’s been really easy to fit in with the group. Everyone’s really welcoming. Living just around the corner as well is quite convenient.”
Gwynn, 22, had been on Edinburgh’s radar for a while. He can play either on the wing or at outside centre and the latter is currently his preferred position because it’s where he sees more of the action.
“I like being a bit more involved,” he said. “I feel like, in some games, when you’re out on the wing, you might not see a lot of the ball and the game has gone by the time you reach the end of it.
“So, yeah, 13 at the moment. But I’ve also been learning the detail of playing on the wing so that I can cover there if needed.
“I think playing both positions also helps with the bench splits. If you go for a 6–2 split, you’re more of an option to be on the bench.
“It’s good to be able to play both, but centre is probably what I prefer at the moment.”
It’s an area of the team Edinburgh identified as being in need of strengthening. Their most high-profile summer signing is Riley Higgins from Super Rugby Pacific side Hurricanes, although he will not arrive from New Zealand until later in the season. Higgins’ brother and fellow inside centre, Kienan, is also joining the capital club.
Gwynn and the Higgins boys will vie for the midfield berths with Matt Currie, Mosese Tuipulotu, Piers O’Conor and Charlie McCaig as Edinburgh look to play a faster brand of rugby and utilise their back three talents to better effect.
Training standards are higher
It has been a summer of change at the club after a disappointing campaign which saw them finish 12th in the URC, missing the play-offs by a distance. There were consequences as Edinburgh parted company with defence coach Michael Todd and attack coach Scott Mathie and replaced them with Brad Davis and Tim Sampson.
“They’re all new coaches for me, but particularly the two new coaches who have come in and are taking a lot of the training sessions,” said Brighton-born Gwynn whose mother is from Edinburgh. “They’re really on you about training standards and being switched on all the time.
“I don’t want to keep going back to it, but last year at Ealing, you could go into a match week knowing there was quite a big possibility that you would win the game. Standards can drop, and that can happen with anyone in the squad.
“Here, at the moment, we’re really building towards having a good season, so the standards are a lot higher and the intensity has been really high as well.”
Promotion problems
Gwynn credits Ealing with helping his development and the London club enjoyed a remarkable campaign in the Champ. They won all 26 of their regular season games to finish in first place, 30 points clear of second-placed Bedford. However, they stumbled in the play-offs, losing at home to Worcester in the semis.
By that stage they already knew that promotion was off the table following a mid-season RFU decision to suspend relegation from the Prem and Gwynn admitted it was frustrating to lose the incentive of trying to win a place in the top tier.
“Having been at Ealing for a couple of years, we didn’t win the league last year, but we had the year before,” he said. “With all the relegation and promotion stuff, it makes it a bit tricky to stay driven and keep improving.
“Coming up here is the perfect challenge to help me improve as a player.”
Gwynn was heartened to see some of Edinburgh’s younger players being given an opportunity last season. He is a contemporary of the likes of Liam McConnell and Freddy Douglas and has been impressed by the way they both seized their chance under Sean Everitt.
“When I spoke to Sean, there was obviously the opportunity they’ve given to younger players. You look at my teammates from the under-20s, Liam and Freddy, particularly over the past year. They’ve really taken their opportunities when they’ve been given them here, then kicked on really well and played for the national team.
“That kind of stuff is really exciting.”
Stevie Lawrie, Edinburgh’s forwards coach, revealed this week that the squad have spent much of pre-season working on a faster style and Gwynn is fully on board with it.
“Yeah, definitely,” he said. “At Ealing, a lot of it was about being on the front foot. Obviously, we were a powerful team in that league, so it’s the kind of style of play I’m used to and enjoy playing as well — a fast brand where you’re on the front foot and really taking on defences.”
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