Still straining at the leash put on him by Vern Cotter and Alan Solomons, David Denton is set to be back in Edinburgh’s vanguard tonight and could hardly have timed it better.
The Scotland No 8 returns from a five-month break caused by a concussion and a hamstring tear to be on the bench for the capital club’s European Rugby Challenge Cup tie against Lyon at BT Murrayfield but admits if he’d had his way he’d have been back a month ago.
However, with the aim of getting Denton back playing some time during the November tests definitely not Argentina in two weeks, maybe New Zealand the week after, most likely Tonga in the last of the three the player has being handled with care.
The ever-enthusiastic 24-year-old hasn’t taken too well to this regime and is busting to get out on the pitch again.
“It’s going to be painful,” he said of his return after such a long break quickly adding “For them!”
All joking aside, it’s been frustration for Denton after he tore a hamstring two days into pre-season.
“I hadn’t trained for ten weeks after a pretty severe concussion late in the season meant I missed the summer tours,” he said. “I just think my body wasn’t ready and I pushed too hard.
“Another month with the physios has done me a world of good, and I’ve taken the opportunity to work on my game a bit. I think you’ll see that my skill-set has improved considerably. I’ve been encouraged to try and bring players into the game off what I do.”
Playing for his country is the “ultimate” and his only aim in the next two weeks is to put himself in the frame for the All Black game.
“Vern Cotter is around here quite a bit and I’ve spoken to him a lot about what he wants from me,” he said. “Really, since the first day I came back I’ve been wanting to play. If I’d had my way I would have been playing a month ago, but that was how I got the hamstring injury in the first place.”
Solomons hopes to get 30 to 40 minutes from Denton tonight, as he starts with a back row of three opensides in Roddy Grant, Hamish Watson and Tomas Leonardi.
“I think it was a measure of where we are that when Mike went down after just five minutes we were able to battle and get an exceptional result,” he said of the 15-13 win at high-flying Bordeaux-Begles.
“We didn’t push David, maybe we could have pushed him a week earlier but we didn’t think it would be prudent or in his interests, Edinburgh’s or Scotland’s.
“David’s a strong character and an explosive and dynamic athlete, but it’s going to be hard for him after five months without a game.”
Cornell du Preez will finally get a prognosis on his injured ankle after a specialist consulation yesterday, and Coman is due to be out until the end of next month. Jamie Ritchie, the highly promising teenage back rower, is being nursed back gradually from a shoulder problem but is “not far away”.
Grant Gilchrist will take over as skipper tonight, and Solomons is no doubt about his attributes for the job and for that of the Scotland captaincy.
“Gilko came back after injury and didn’t hit his straps until the second half against the Dragons,” said the coach. “Against Bordeaux he was outstanding, and Gilko took over the side when Mike off early on and did a fantastic job.
“He’s a fantastic players, and intelligent guy and leads by example, and he’s respected by all the players. He’s got a great future in this game.”
Another win tonight will put Edinburgh in a very strong position to qualify for the latter stages of the competition.
“The win last week, and everything that went with it – the early departure, the long trip and against the in-form team in the Top 14 was outstanding,” continued Solomons. “We knew that there were challenges for us in all aspects last week and we faced them head on.
“But every Top 14 side is a good one, Lyon are no excveption, and to back up last week’s result will be fantastic for us.”
Edinburgh team (vs Lyon, European Rugby Challenge Cup, BT Murrayfield, tonight ko 7.45 pm): Grieg Tonks; Dougie Fife, Sam Beard, Andries Strauss, Tim Visser; Phil Burleigh, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, WP Nel; Grant Gilchrist, Anton Bresler; Roddy Grant, Hamish Watson, Tomas Leonardi.
Replacements: James Hilterbrand, Rory Sutherland, John Andress, Ben Toolis, David Denton, Sean Kennedy, Tom Heathcote, Nick McLennan.