Tom Cruse can have key role as Edinburgh gear up for Glasgow Warriors double-header
It turned the Heineken Champions Cup tie into something of a marathon for the 33-year-old who helped the capital side notch an important bonus-point victory in their quest to reach the knockout stages of Europe. Hookers don’t often play for as long as Cruse did at the weekend and he was exhausted but happy when he spoke after the game.
“That wasn't quite what I was expecting when I woke up this morning!” he said while catching his breath. “It was a great game to be involved in. Sometimes when you least expect it it is the best thing to just throw yourself in. I am happy with that.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAs well he should be. Cruse’s season was turned upside down in October when Wasps were put into administration and all players and staff were made redundant.
“It was really tough. I sometimes catch myself getting that feeling, ‘am I going back or not?’ But now I am at this club I would not want to be anywhere else. It has been amazing so far.”
Edinburgh handed him a lifeline with the offer of a short-term contract and the hooker seized the opportunity. “I’m one of the lucky ones. I have mates back home who haven't got clubs and it is very very difficult but the guys from Wasps are a tight-knit group and we still stay in contact. It’s like anything, not just in rugby. If you lose your job you start thinking of how to earn money. I have a wife and three kids to look after. How long could I have gone without a job? I would have had to start planning and look at what was on the table and started to make some decisions.”
Cruse is unsure what the long-term future holds but is happy in the meantime to add his experience to a strong hooker group at Edinburgh which already includes McInally, Dave Cherry, Adam McBurney and Patrick Harrison. Cherry and McBurney are currently injured and McInally will have to go through return-to-play protocols so Cruse could have a big role to play over the festive period as Edinburgh play a double-header against Glasgow Warriors on December 23 and 30.
Both sides go into the first leg in winning form, with Glasgow having beaten Perpignan on Friday. Edinburgh fronted up against powerful opponents who were guilty of giving away too many penalties. They held a narrow lead at the break thanks to a try from Viliame Mata and a penalty try but had to stand firm just before half-time as Castres attempted to muscle their way back. Second-half tries from Charlie Savala and Ben Vellacott put some distance between the sides and Emiliano Boffelli added the finishing touch with a late penalty.
Next stop is Scotstoun and Cruse said there is already a buzz of anticipation. “It has been talked about. After five points at home against Castres in the Champions Cup the Glasgow game still got a mention afterwards. I hear they are amazing games to play in and hopefully I can be involved.”
Scorers: Edinburgh: Tries: Mata, Penalty try, Savala, Vellacott. Cons: Boffelli 3. Pen: Boffelli.
Castres: Tries: Colonna, Blanc, Seguret. Con: Botica. Pen: Dumora.
Yellow card: Quentin Walcker (Castres 36).
Edinburgh: E Boffelli; D Hoyland, M Currie (C Dean 48), J Lang, W Goosen; B Kinghorn (C Savala 13), B Vellacott; P Schoeman (B Venter 62), S McInally (T Cruse 3), WP Nel (A Williams 62), G Young (M Sykes 57), G Gilchrist, J Ritchie, L Crosbie (B Muncaster 68), V Mata. Replacement not used: C Shiel.
Castres Olympique: J Dumora (T Larregain 53); M Laveau, A Zeghdar, A Seguret, A Bouzerand; B Botica, J Blanc (R Kockott 63); Q Walcker (L Guérois-Galisson 53), P Colonna (B Humbert 51), A Azar (A Guillamon 53), G Maravat (F Vanverberghe 53), T Hannoyer, B Delaporte, A Usarraga (J Raisuqe 74), K Kornath (L Guérois-Galisson 38-45; B Cope 53).
Referee: Tom Foley (England)
Attendance: 5,567.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.