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'If Cockers signs, that will be the longest a coach has been at Edinburgh for a long time'
Hamish Watson says it is time Edinburgh shrugged off their underdogs tag and accepted their new billing under Richard Cockerill as Scotland’s dominant force. Having spent much of the last decade in Glasgow’s shadow, Cockerill’s team are now setting their sights on eclipsing Warriors’ trophy-winning feat of 2015.
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Murrayfield is the setting for two back-to-back 1872 Cup derbies – the first on Saturday – with Edinburgh needing just a point to secure a place in the Guinness PRO14 semi-finals. The bookmakers are putting their faith in Cockerill’s team after pricing them firmly odds-on to emerge victorious and reach the last four for the first time.
But Watson knows those expectation levels might not sit so comfortably with a team written off time and time again down the years. The Scotland flanker said: “Yeah (we’re favourites) – and we have got to get used to being called the favourites.
“That’s not a bad thing. We have been the underdogs before and underdogs also have a chance of winning games. It can still be dangerous and Glasgow will be really dangerous too. They have new coaches and fantastic players so it’ll be a really tough game.
“But we have to get used to going into games as the favourites and relish that. Sometimes those games are tougher when you’re favourites as you have more expectations on your shoulders. We need to get used to that now and not just think we always want to be the underdogs.”
We're ?? for Saturday, how about you?
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— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) August 19, 2020
For so long the top dogs, Glasgow are now getting used to the new order in Scottish rugby. Off the pace in Conference A, new Warriors coach Danny Wilson needs a miracle to rescue their play-offs hopes. But Watson warned: “That creates its own problems. We know what we were like when we only had the 1872 Cup to play for and that’s the be all and end all, so Glasgow will be dangerous in a different way.
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“Normally they are dangerous in that they are near the top of their conference and playing for the play-off spots, whereas that is us this year and they are sort of at the other end. They have got a lot to prove and still want to be the strongest team in Scotland. We know how dangerous that is.”
Glasgow became the first Scottish side to claim major silverware with their league triumph five years ago. At that point, Edinburgh’s prospects of making a similar trophy tilt looked distinctly remote. But Cockerill’s 2017 arrival transformed a club seemingly content to dish out the odd upset in their local skirmishes with Warriors into a team capable of conquering all.
As well as their PRO14 ambitions, Edinburgh are also eyeing up a European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Bordeaux-Begles next month, so it’s little surprise that the Scottish Rugby Union is keen to tie down Cockerill on a new deal before his current agreement expires at the end of the campaign.
“If Cockers signs, that will be the longest a coach has been at Edinburgh for a long time,” Watson added about coach Cockerill, who carved out his no-nonsense reputation at Leicester. “We needed that continuity. It’s good to have a figurehead like Cockers stay around for a long time. You see that in any successful team, you need a coach to be there for a long period.
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“You can see the environment he is bringing to the club and where we have come from in the last three years, so it’s massive for the club. We’ll see how long he signs for and hopefully we can build from this season and finish it on a high.”
“They are maybe in the academy, maybe at stage 3, but just falling through the system because they can’t afford to live off the academy wage at 23."@EdinburghRugby tyro @Darcy_Graham fears for the Scottish heartland that produced him, writes @JLyall93 ???https://t.co/SAHcL8qvkK
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 16, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on the @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments