How Wes Goosen emerged as go-to man for Edinburgh among back-three superstars

South-African born player namechecked as one of Edinburgh’s main attacking threats

Wes Goosen during an Edinburgh Rugby training session at Hive Stadium, on January 9, 2024. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Wes Goosen has already played more games this season than he did in the whole of 2022-23 and the versatile Edinburgh back is looking to keep his place in the face of stiff competition.

The capital club’s much vaunted back three options include Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe and Emiliano Boffelli but it’s Goosen who has been their mainstay. He has started 10 of Edinburgh’s 11 competitive games under Sean Everitt, appearing as a sub in the other. Injuries have conspired to prevent Everitt selecting Graham, van der Merwe and Boffelli in the same team and Goosen has proved to be the go-to man for the Edinburgh coach.

“I’ve played every game - it’s a lot better than last season, when it was very stop-start, so I’m really enjoying my rugby again,” said Goosen who joined Edinburgh from the New Zealand-based Hurricanes in summer 2022. “It’s really nice to be backed by your coach and given that confidence. I haven’t had much chance to play with Boff yet, with him being injured and coming back, but I’m really looking forward to playing with him too.”

Interestingly, Goosen was namechecked by Franco Smith when he was asked about Edinburgh’s attacking threats ahead of the 1872 Cup games. The Glasgow coach made a point of mentioning the South African-born player alongside his more celebrated team-mates.

It's a measure of Goosen’s worth and, while he knows competition for places is hotting up with the return of Graham, van der Merwe and Boffelli, he is relishing the challenge which continues this weekend with a home game against Gloucester in the Challenge Cup.

“It’s good if I can compete with those kind of guys – I guess they’re among the top back threes in the world,” he said. “Everyone brings the best out of each other and that’s what we want at the club, people competing for positions.”

Goosen started eight of Edinburgh’s first nine games this season on the wing but has been full-back for the last two and is comfortable in either role.

“I just enjoy being on the field, to be honest. It’s quite nice when you play at full-back because you know what you want from your wingers, then when you go back to the wing you know what you want from your full-back.”