Scotland scrum-half fitter than ever and has 'changed the shape of his body'

Price’s performance for Edinburgh in win over Cardiff gives Townsend food for thought

Ali Price has been used sparingly by Scotland over the last 12 months but his performance for Edinburgh in Saturday’s 27-8 win over Cardiff will have given Gregor Townsend pause for thought ahead of the Autumn Nations Series.

The scrum-half was part of a robust home performance which lifted Sean Everitt’s side into sixth place in the United Rugby Championship and continued the restorative work required in the aftermath of the heavy defeat by the Lions in Johannesburg a fortnight ago.

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Edinburgh have responded with back-to-back bonus-point victories and travel to Wales next to take on the Ospreys who are currently bottom of the table.

Price, 31, was a big part of the win on Saturday, dictating play, controlling the tempo and linking well with the impressive Ross Thompson at 10.

Edinburgh's Ali Price impressed in the 27-8 win over Cardiff.Edinburgh's Ali Price impressed in the 27-8 win over Cardiff.
Edinburgh's Ali Price impressed in the 27-8 win over Cardiff. | SNS Group

Townsend will name his squad for the autumn Tests on Wednesday and you suspect both Price and Thompson will be knocking on the door. Price was understandably reluctant to talk too much about an international recall but Everitt was happy to bang the drum for his player.

“He has worked incredibly hard in the off-season,” said the Edinburgh coach. “He has changed the shape of his body, he has lost weight and he is fitter than he has ever been. I was actually quite shocked to see what good shape he was in.

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“He takes his rugby seriously and he still wants to play for Scotland and play international rugby. But if you train that hard away from the pitch, the confidence can only build and he has worked incredibly hard on his game.”

Price last started for Scotland in their final World Cup pool stage match against Ireland in Paris on October 7 last year, and he made one appearance in the 2024 Six Nations, coming off the bench in the second half of the defeat by Italy in Rome. He wasn’t involved in the summer tour of North and South America where George Horne, Jamie Dobie and Gus Warr were the three scrum-halves selected, but he did speak to Townsend recently.

“I caught up with him a couple of weeks ago, just to chat,” said Price. “I obviously hadn’t spoken to him throughout the summer, what with the tour and all the rest of it, and it was a good conversation. It was funny, we’ve known each other a long time and we were talking about family and all the rest of it, and a lot’s gone on. But, you know, I’m in a good place and I’m enjoying what I’m doing and the rest of it is out of my control.”

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt, right, with scrum-half Ali Price.Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt, right, with scrum-half Ali Price.
Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt, right, with scrum-half Ali Price. | SNS Group

It’s coming up for a year since Price moved from Glasgow Warriors to Edinburgh, initially on loan. The deal was then made permanent and the player is now showing the sort of form that has seen him capped 67 times by Scotland and three times by the Lions.

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“I guess in the last year or so I’ve just looked to enjoy what I’m doing,” he said. “And, you know, I’m really enjoying the environment I’m in, I’m enjoying being out on the pitch and it’s good to see us playing some rugby that is good to watch but also to be involved in. And in the last couple of weeks we’re starting to see some rewards for that.”

Edinburgh started well against Cardiff but had only a Thompson penalty to show for their efforts and trailed 5-3 at half-time to Thomas Young’s try. They got the rewards their performance deserved with four tries in the second half from the lively Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman, Darcy Graham and Ewan Ashman.

Scorers: Edinburgh: Tries: van der Merwe, Schoeman, Graham, Ashman. Cons: Thompson 2. Pen: Thompson. Cardiff: Try: Young. Pen: Sheedy.

Yellow cards: Gilchrist (Edinburgh, 30min), Young (Cardiff, 39min), McNally (Cardiff, 72min)

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Edinburgh: W Goosen; D Graham, M Currie, M Tuipulotu, D van der Merwe; R Thompson (C Scott 80), A Price (B Vellacott 6); B Venter (P Schoeman 47), P Harrison (E Ashman 47), D Rae (P Hill 47), M Sykes (M Sykes 66), G Gilchrist, L Crosbie, B Muncaster, M Bradbury (H Watson 57). Replacement: M Scott.

Cardiff: C Winnett; G Hamer-Webb, M Grady (B Thomas 30-40), R Jennings (B Thomas 57), I Stephens; C Sheedy, E Davies (J Mulder 68); E Byrne (D Southworth 66), D Hughes (E Lloyd 49), R Litterick (K Assiratti 49), J McNally, T Williams, J Botham, T Young (A Mann 61), A Lawrence (M Martin 63). Replacement: R Thornton.

Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARU).

Attendance: 6,507.

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