Why Edinburgh pumped crowd noises into training ahead of Clermont Auvergne showdown

Edinburgh expect it to be raucous and hostile in France on Friday night and have tried to prepare accordingly.

Edinburgh's Cammy Scott will start at 10 against Clermont Auvergne at Stade Marcel-Michelin. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

During their final training session at the Hive they had crowd noises pumped into the ground in an attempt to replicate what they will experience at Stade Marcel-Michelin as they take on Clermont Auvergne. It’s a tough start to their Challenge Cup campaign and the hope is that Thursday’s dress rehearsal, with added sound effects, will ready the squad for the Pool 3 clash.

“It is just something a bit different,” said Rob Chrystie, Edinburgh’s assistant coach. “We had a walk through and a bit of a captain’s run so it was good just to chuck that on in the build-up to the game. Players quite like it, and it gets them used to communicating nice and loudly which is something they are going to have to do.”

Chrystie expects Edinburgh will have to ride an early storm but the aim is to frustrate the home support in the hope that they turn on their own team.

“You go across to France, it is going to be noisy,” he said. “The atmosphere is just a little bit more hostile, I suppose. But the flip side of that is if we can impose our game on them and put them under pressure they can flip on their own teams as much, so that’s something we will be aiming to do, especially earlier on in the match.”

As expected, Edinburgh have rested Jamie Ritchie, Pierre Schoeman, WP Nel and Grant Gilchrist, but they are able to bring back players of the calibre of Hamish Watson, Duhan van der Merwe and Mark Bennett. Ben Healy, the highly impressive stand-off, also sits this one out, opening the door for local boy Cammy Scott to make his first start at 10.

“It’s exciting for Cammy,” said Chrystie. “He’s done really well throughout pre-season. He’s a player who’s had to work really hard. It’s not been given to him easily but he keeps turning it around and pushing on. It’s going to be exciting to see him go.”

Scott, 22, who started at full-back in the win over the Dragons in October, came through the ranks at Boroughmuir and George Watson’s but had to overcome a serious injury. He has played two seasons for Scotland Under-20s and been involved in the Super6. “I think it has built a massive amount of resilience in him and he’s an excellent pro,” added Chrystie.

Clermont Auvergne v Edinburgh, Challenge Cup Pool 3, Stade Marcel-Michelin, Friday, 8pm. TV: live on Viaplay.

Clermont: 15 Alex Newsome; 14 Bautista Delguy, 13 Julien Heriteau, 12 George Moala, 11 Thomas Roziere; 10 Anthony Belleau, 9 Sebastien Bezy; 1 Etienne Falgoux, 2 Folau Fainga'a, 3 Cristian Ojovan, 4 Rob Simmons, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 6 Lucas Dessaigne, 7 Peceli Yato, 8 Pita Gus Sowakula.

Replacements: 16 Yohan Beheregaray, 17 Daniel Bibi Biziwu, 18 Henzo Kiteau, 19 Fritz Lee, 20 Killian Tixeront, 21 Baptiste Jauneau, 22 Jules Plisson, 23 Pierre Fouyssac.

Edinburgh: 15 Tim Swiel; 14 Harry Paterson, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Chris Dean, 11 Duhan van der Merwe; 10 Cameron Scott, 9 Ben Vellacott; 1 Robin Hislop, 2 Ewan Ashman, 3 Javan Sebastian, 4 Marshall Sykes, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 6 Luke Crosbie, 7 Hamish Watson, 8 Bill Mata.

Replacements: 16 Adam McBurney, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Angus Williams, 19 Glen Young, 20 Connor Boyle, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22 Matt Currie, 23 Wes Goosen.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales).