The feel-good factor remains, but Edinburgh and Glasgow’s success in both reaching the quarter-finals in Europe has been parked and the focus is fully on the 6 Nations as the Scotland squad gathered to begin preparations for the championship.
Edinburgh don’t fear Munster or anyone at all left in the Heineken Champions’ Cup, but the euphoria goes on hold for now as Richard Cockerill faces an equally tough challenge.
Edinburgh showed true resilience and character in fighting their way to the victory they needed to secure their home quarter-final in the Heineken Champions Cup with victory over Montpellier at Murrayfield.
Adam Hastings has been tossed back in among the wolves as Glasgow seek to upset former champions Saracens and win a home quarter-final in the Heineken Champions’ Cup at Allianz Park.
Ryan Wilson claims to be an innocent bystander when the pushing and shoving starts but he’ll not back down an inch at Saracens this weekend in the return of October’s bad-tempered Heineken Champions Cup clash.
The “quieter” fans of Edinburgh are stirring, and Richard Cockerill doesn’t want his team to let them down with their big chance for a home Heineken Champions’ Cup quarter-final at BT Murrayfield tonight.
Scotland’s Six Nations contingency plan for a deepening of their hooker crisis is three uncapped players with the pecking order yet to be decided, admitted head coach Gregor Townsend.
Gregor Townsend reckons the norm for injuries in an international squad at the halfway point of a season - that is, now - is about 20%.
John Hardie has won a recall to the Scotland Guinness Six Nations squad and there are seven uncapped players among Gregor Townsend’s 39 named at Murrayfield today.
Blair Kinghorn’s part in Edinburgh’s try of the season was simple – pick the ball up, and look for Bill.