Sam Skinner return is good news for Edinburgh and the timing could be right for Scotland

Forward set to make first appearance of season with Six Nations around the corner

Sam Skinner during an Edinburgh Rugby training session at Hive Stadium. The forward has been sidelined due to a knee injury but is back to full fitness. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

Sam Skinner is set for his first Edinburgh outing of the season in Saturday’s European Challenge Cup tie against Gloucester at the Hive.

The Scotland forward has been sidelined by a knee problem and has not played since helping the national team thrash Romania 84-0 at the Rugby World Cup on September 30. He had been due to start in Edinburgh’s first United Rugby Championship game of the campaign against Dragons in October but aggravated the injury in the warm-up.

“It was my knee. I carried it through the World Cup a little bit, it’s just the nature of these things,” Skinner said. “Then I came back, feeling good, but it just blew up in training. It was a bit of a complicated one but we finally got there in the end.

“The last time I played was the Romania game. I was due to play in the Dragons game but I pulled up in the warm-up and it’s been a really bizarre period but these things happen.

“I started training a couple of weeks ago and, in theory, I was fit for selection for the second of the two Glasgow games but I wasn’t running around like a professional athlete - in terms of the mechanics, rather than fitness - but this week I’m feeling like I can really apply myself which is a great feeling because it’s been a challenging period.

“I feel back to my normal self to be honest. Got the body MOT’d properly and we’re ready to go again which is amazing. It feels great to be training with the lads and being able to apply myself 100 per cent. It’s a good feeling.”

While making up for lost time with Edinburgh is uppermost in Skinner’s mind, the versatile back-five forward would be forgiven for letting his thoughts stray to the Six Nations. Gregor Townsend is due to name his Scotland squad next week which means he has one game to impress the national coach. “Exactly,” said Skinner when it was put to him.

Time may not be on his side but Skinner has enough credit in the bank with Townsend to suggest he will be involved in the forthcoming campaign where his ability to play at lock or in the back row is likely to be an attractive asset.