Magnus Bradbury has been stripped of the Edinburgh captaincy barely two months into the season as head coach Richard Cockerill attempts to get a grip on discipline and what he describes as a “loose” culture at the club.
Bradbury and John Hardie’s suspensions in the past fortnight – Cockerill said he couldn’t comment on the Scotland international who is thought to be under investigation for cocaine use – do not create the image the former England hooker envisages for the club, and he has taken action on the return of the 22-year-old, who injured himself on a night out in Edinburgh.
Cockerill was typically forthright when asked the specific reasons to backtrack on his decision to make Bradbury captain.
“Being inebriated lying on the ground in the centre of town with an ambulance next to you is not a picture we want to portray,” he said.
“However, he has been sanctioned, has accepted the consequences and we move on. Sometimes when you make an error you hold your hands up and say `sorry I made a mistake’ and take the consequences.”
Bradbury will now return to training when he is over his head injury, and Fraser McKenzie, the former Dunfermline lock who has grown into a leadership role, will take over the club captaincy for the remainder of the season. His brief is to assert some authority and discipline, continued Cockerill.
“I have to try and build a strong culture,” continued the head coach. “There is a perception that the culture here is loose, and I have to tighten that. If our captain behaves like that there has to be consequences.”
Cockerill won’t ban alcohol or impose curfews, but expects his players to behave responsibly.
“I think you have to understand that you are a pro sportsman and the standards are different,” he said. “You have to choose better when you want a release from everyday life. We all like to have a couple of beers, get away from it and relax, but unfortunately if you are a public figure it will be highlighted.
“They will still be able to have beers after matches with supporters, I am not going to ban alcohol or give them curfews, they are adults who have to make the right choices.
“Notwithstanding, I will help guys that get themselves into trouble, because people make mistakes. If we all got chucked aside after a mistake, none of us would be sat here now.”
McKenzie already had a more prominent role under Cockerill, and this will increase.
“He is a strong character who speaks well and he is very committed to the club,” continued the head coach. “He gives us a voice that may lead the team better on and off the field.
“I would rather have not been in this position, but it is right for Fraser to take over. He’s got that little bit more maturity, he leads very well, and he’s got that little bit of an edge about him.”
As for Hardie, Cockerill’s disappointment was clear, but he said he could not comment on specfics.
“I’m not allowed to comment on that,” he said. “I have a view on it, but at this point it’s not appropriate that I talk about it, unfortunately.
“I’d like all the players to be available to play, but that’s not how it is, so we get on with the playing parts and try to leave this distraction aside.”
Edinburgh have won three games in a row despite these distractions, but Cockerill still wants more from them heading into Saturday’s trip to Italy’s north east to play Treviso, who won at Myreside just a month ago.
“We’ve had three good wins but we haven’t played the three strongest sides in world rugby, so we’re not getting too carried away,” he said.
“It’s a big couple of weeks for us from a league point of view. We’ve just got to get on with our jobs. I’m just concentrating on getting the team prepared.
“Life’s complicated, we all know that. We’ll just continue with what we’re doing.”
