Edinburgh v Southern Kings

Club centurion, Fraser McKenzie, will captain Edinburgh on his return from injury in tomorrow evening’s Guinness PRO14 match against Isuzu Southern Kings at BT Murrayfield (Saturday 5 January, kick-off 7.35pm).
The second-row is named in the starting line-up on the same day he signed a new two-year contract extension which will see him remain in the capital until at least 2021.
McKenzie – who last season became Edinburgh’s 31st centurion – was named as club captain during the 2017/18 campaign and led the capital side to their first ever Guinness PRO14 Final Series berth as well as a return to the Heineken Champions Cup for the first time in five years.
Ahead of his return to action against Southern Kings tomorrow night, McKenzie, said: “I’m delighted to be staying in Edinburgh for another two years and I can’t wait to get back on the field with my team-mates tomorrow evening.
“It’s an exciting period for this team and I'm looking forward to playing my part in bringing success to this club and to this city.”
With several internationalists rested following an intense run of fixtures in both the Heineken Champions Cup and Guinness PRO14, Head Coach Richard Cockerill has made 11 changes to the side that recorded a hard-earned victory over Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun last weekend to retain the 1872 Cup.
Ahead of the fixture, Cockerill, said: “We have to keep battling away. Players have to front up, it's simple as that. The settled part of our squad has been really good for us, especially on short turnarounds.
“There's a long way to go. I want to be in Europe next year and we have to qualify for that. We have a lot to do. We want to be in the playoffs again.
“We have a lot to prove. We just have to keep our feet on the ground and continue to work hard.”
In the back three, Dougie Fife returns to action at fullback and is partnered on the wings by Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe - the latter looking to continue the rich vein of form that has seen the South African score three tries in his last four appearances.
Fosroc Scottish Rugby Academy graduate George Taylor is named in the centre alongside Argentine international Juan Pablo Socino, whilst Simon Hickey is partnered at half-back by scrum-half Nathan Fowles.
A revamped tight-five sees hooker David Cherry named in the front-row alongside capped duo Rory Sutherland and Simon Berghan. Callum Hunter-Hill is promoted from the bench to partner captain McKenzie in the second-row.
The inclusion of Luke Crosbie at openside flanker is the only alteration to an otherwise unchanged back-row as Jamie Ritchie and Fijian No. 8 Viliame Mata complete the pack.
Elsewhere, Fosroc Scottish Rugby Academy graduate and scrum-half Charlie Shiel is named amongst the replacements and, if involved, will make his first appearance for the club, becoming the third generation of his family to represent Edinburgh.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Replacements: 16. Ross Ford (189); 17. Pierre Schoeman (11); 18. Pietro Ceccarelli (5); 19. Ben Toolis (101); 20. Ally Miller (3); 21. Charlie Shiel*; 22. Jaco van der Walt (28); 23. James Johnstone (32)
 
Unavailable due to injury: Lewis Carmichael; John Barclay; Magnus Bradbury; Senitiki Nayalo; Luke Hamilton; Matt Scott; Mark Bennett; Chris Dean; Damien Hoyland

Excellent timing to get McKenzie back coming into the 6N run - good he's signed on another 2 years too.

That's a pretty strong Edinburgh team despite so many being rested. Hopefully we can build a comfortable lead so we can finally see Charlie shiel!

Bit surprised and also happy that McKenzie has signed a 2 year deal.

Team looks decent, should hopefully be strong enough to win. Also given the kings don't get to Edinburgh until today and are leaving 24 degree heat, I'm hopeful the cold will also knacker them.

With Duhan and Graham starting and no cover for the wing on the bench, I wonder if we are really short of options out wide.

Also Sheil on the bench. I really hope he gets a run out

Thats a good team, although every time I see Fowles name I cringe a bit.

Socino has looked better of late, and is starting to show some of his Newcastle form and as others have said, this type of game was made for Fraser Mackenize - he and CHH are a pretty physical combination in the engine room.

Will be good to see Sheil het a run. God knows we need a new exciting scrum half as Fowles can bugger off.

Speaking of Fowels the foul, with him and Hickey playing, I think we'll be seeing the leather getting booted off the ball all day which actually wont be a bad thing as our centre pairing is a mixture of guff and inexperience so I don't think they'll get much ball.

Decent enough pack but they'll be the ones called on to win the game I think. Won't be an easy task even though the SA teams arent fans of travelling. It's down as being a baw hair off of freezing so they really wont like that!

EWT Spoons wrote:Bit surprised and also happy that McKenzie has signed a 2 year deal.

Team looks decent, should hopefully be strong enough to win.  Also given the kings don't get to Edinburgh until today and are leaving 24 degree heat, I'm hopeful the cold will also knacker them.

With Duhan and Graham starting and no cover for the wing on the bench, I wonder if we are really short of options out wide.

Why surprised? Can't imagine he would have had many offers.

He's the perfect squad player - hugely experienced and still plenty to offer playing wise. He's also not going to be away for Scotland barring a huge injury crisis.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

EWT Spoons wrote:Bit surprised and also happy that McKenzie has signed a 2 year deal.

Team looks decent, should hopefully be strong enough to win.  Also given the kings don't get to Edinburgh until today and are leaving 24 degree heat, I'm hopeful the cold will also knacker them.

With Duhan and Graham starting and no cover for the wing on the bench, I wonder if we are really short of options out wide.

Why surprised? Can't imagine he would have had many offers.

He's the perfect squad player - hugely experienced and still plenty to offer playing wise. He's also not going to be away for Scotland barring a huge injury crisis.

Thought he was older than he actually is, having now checked his age (he's only 30) I'm far less surprised.

lol, he does look like he's nearing 40 eh!

Just noticed McCallum isn't picked again and isn't injured.

The Italian bloke has done ok but is nowhere near the class of McCallum.

It's a strange one!

Just watching the Leinster v Ulster game. Only 9 mins in and Ulster look like they may well get a royal rogering.

Can't see anything other than a 5-0 points to Leinster here, so a very good chance for Edinburgh to climb up and over them if they manage to despatch the Kings, as they should.

14 mins in and 14-0 Leinster already!

With Scarlets a bit of a shambles it's looking like benneton are our main competition.

If only our western brethren hadn't bawsed it up today!

It was a Rennie Machiavellian masterclass. Can't be the worst team in Scotland if the other one finish the season behind Treviso!

No Eejit, it's Cockers being Machiavellian... Luvvies finish third and get us in the play off. Mainly due to us missing the top spot after losing to...THEM in the final game of the regular season. So Glasgow then have to play for a semi-final place against ...THEM.

We're doomed. Doomed I say.

Cherry out with illness so Ford starts and Cammy Fenton on the bench

Well being Edinburgh (and a weakened Edinburgh) I'm sure we've not got a relaxing 80 minutes ahead of us, but feck me I'd love it if we romped to an easy 40 point win!

If ever we were going to do it it's tonight - the worst team in the league who only arrived in Edinburgh yesterday.

We're doomed!

I imagine they might be finding it a bit chilly as well. Is about 30 degrees out there just now!

Good start!

Who said VDM needs to get more involved? He's listened!

Great start!

Edinburgh just can't attack you know.

Looks like I might be getting my easy win!

Just turned it on 20 minutes in

If you'd turned it on 10 minutes in it would have been the same score!

Classic Lacey - #5 was on his knees and is apparently still allowed to counter ruck

Fowles did something good!

Feck me I’ve seen it all now, Fowles breaking and running half the pitch

Strange game - we almost got the first 3 tries too easily as the intensity has dropped. Too many pens, although some weird calls from Lacey.

That was rubbish from Hickey - kings defence back peddling and all ofside and he tries to go blind. Had to go wide.

Cockers will be going through them at half time!

BP by halftime is welcomed - plenty to work on though.

If we can hold onto the ball in their half we'll score.

Shiel on early please!

Jamie Ritchie is brilliant - he's a pain in the arse in every ruck

Berghan should have stretched his arm out!

Berghan has played well

'13 was offside so good thing he didn't get involved' - that's still a penalty!

We finally see shiel!

He's got a hell of a pass on him

Great impact from Shiel so far - why have we been putting up with Fowles for so long??

Some lovely play from our youngsters!

Very happy with that result, keeps up the momentum going back into Europe. Hope we see a lot more of Shiel after this, he certainly made an impact. Nice for him to make his first start with a total armchair ride though

He looks quite nonchalant around the pitch which is a good sign - the best players always look like they've got time on their hands.  he's got an incredible pass and is fast based on his run back from their kick through.

Definitely worth more game time.