Duncan Weir is a “massive asset” for Edinburgh and crucial to the capital club’s bid to finally force a Guinness PRO12 play-off place this season.
Weir moved along the M8 during the summer and is charged with launching Edinburgh’s attack starting with today’s league opener at Cardiff Arms Park and the ambitious but perennially underachieving Blues.
The hint at what Edinburgh were lacking last year comes with Alan Solomons’ first selection of the season. All five debutants in the team are in the backs, with only Tom Brown and scrum-half Nathan Fowles – surprisingly preferred to Sam Hidalgo-Clyne at scrum-half – surviving from last year’s squad.
Weir, full-back Glenn Bryce – another coming from Scotstoun to BT Murrayfield – wing Rory Scholes and both centres Junior Rasolea and Sasa Tofilau are the new men aimed at boosting Edinburgh’s strike threat.
It’s something they’ve been working on in the off-season, according to flanker Hamish Watson.
“We have always been a physical and abrasive team and Alan does not want us to lose that,” he said. “We have the Scotland front row and we are good in the maul and the set-piece. But everybody knows we lack scoring as many tries as Glasgow and teams like that.
“Maybe we have been a bit too one dimensional and too easy to defend against, but this year I hope you will see us go wide to score tries much more.”
Weir is the key to this new style, Watson agrees.
“Dunc will be a massive help to our game plan, he has 20 odd caps for Scotland, 100 for Glasgow, huge experience and his kicking game is on point. He will be very good for our attack.”
Solomons believes he’s got the all-round 10 that his team has lacked in recent seasons.
“Duncan is a very important player and I was very impressed with his performance last week against Newcastle.
“He’s got a good head on his shoulders and manages a game really well. He’s intelligent and a very brave player as well. He’s got a good boot out of hand and off the floor.
“He’s a massive asset for us. And having that competition with Jason Tovey is good. With Jason it’s hopefully not too long out, he may miss the first five or six games but it is a long season.”
Edinburgh will miss Al Dickinson, John Hardie and Cornell du Preez, although the No 8 is starting a comeback to playing with Heriot’s this weekend after undergoing ankle surgery in the summer. Hardie did play some time against Newcastle but is “undercooked” after being stuck in New Zealand with visa issues that are now sorted, added Solomons.
The veteran coach isn’t setting targets, but knows that every team is battliong for a playoff spot at the outset.
“That’s as true of Cardiff as it is of anyone,” he said. “Danny Wilson has said it’s important for them to start with a bang.
“They’ve got good strength in depth and still have (centre) Willis Halaholo to come in after the ITM Cup. He had a brilliant Super Rugby season with the Hurricanes, starting every game including the final.”
Solomons was staying tight-lipped about Edinburgh’s rumoured addition of Fijian Sevens star Viliame Mata, saying “we’ll leave that for just now”.
“I think there will be an announcement in due course, but be positive,” he added.
Edinburgh (vs Blues, Guinness PRO12, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, tonight ko 7.35 pm, live on BBC2 Scotland) G Bryce; T Brown, S Tofilau, S Rasolea, R Scholes; D Weir, N Fowles; R Sutherland, R Ford, WP Nel; F McKenzie, G Gilchrist (capt); J Ritchie, H Watson, N Manu.
Replacements: S McInally, J Cosgrove, S Berghan, B Toolis, M Bradbury, S Hidalgo-Clyne, B Kinghorn, C Dean.
