Mike Blair wary of ex-Glasgow threat at Castres but potential Murrayfield switch holds no concerns

Mike Blair has no concerns over Edinburgh's Champions Cup match against Castres potentially being switched to BT Murrayfield due to the cold weather. (Photo by Ross MacDonald / SNS Group)

The Castres squad may not be full of household names, but Edinburgh coach Mike Blair believes the French side will nonetheless be tough opponents for his team in Saturday’s Champions Cup pool match.

While Fijian ex-Glasgow lock Leone Nakarawa and his compatriot Vilimoni Botitu are two of the standout names in the visitors’ squad, Blair believes that Castres’ primary virtue is a willingness to work hard for one another.

“They’re a really competitive team,” he said yesterday. “They’re not a team of stars, but they got to the Top 14 final last year.

“They play really well, cohesively, as a unit. Their defence is excellent. And they’ve got a little bit of stardust in there.

“There is Botitu, and Nakarawa who we know really well, and they have that stardust amongst them. But I would say it’s probably less about their individuals, and more about their cohesive group. They seem to have a real desire to work for each other, so they’re going to be a really difficult team this week.”

If the cold weather continues, the match could be moved from the DAM Health Stadium to BT Murrayfield – a switch that holds no fears for Blair. “Before we played Glasgow last time a few of our players said it was a shame that we were not playing at the DAM Health. But then as soon as we ran out on the pitch at BT Murrayfield you could feel a real buzz amongst the supporters and the players as well. So if the game is moved for that reason, I expect us to rise to the occasion.”

Both teams lost their opening games in Pool A – Castres at home to Exeter, Edinburgh at Saracens. The complicated format of the tournament means that a second loss does not necessarily end a team’s hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages, but Blair has little or no interest in weighing up such options.

“It’s a complicated system, but it just means that your job is a little bit easier. Win as many games as you can, and don’t worry too much about the difference in the match points.”