Edinburgh to rest skipper for clash against the Kings
In-form Edinburgh will rest key frontline players including skipper Stuart McInally when they face the struggling Isuzu Southern Kings at Murrayfield on Saturday.
The Scottish side are in redhot form and have fielded a settled combination during four impressive wins during December while the Kings were on a break.
Edinburgh beat Newcastle home and away in the Heineken Cup and then Glasgow home and away in the 1872 Cup to spark a revival in their fortunes.
The Kings, who resumed training on December 27, flew to Scotland on Wednesday and will only have a captain’s run in Edinburgh in preparation for the match.
Edinburgh coach Richard Cockerill has said he will select fresh players against a battling Kings outfit who have won only one of their opening 10 Guinness PRO14 matches.
McInally, scorer of the key try in Edinburgh’s 16-8 1872 Cup victory at Scotstoun last Saturday, will be rested against the Kings.
“I must say McInally is awesome,” Cockerill said, looking ahead to the Kings’ visit.
“He’s been our best player, best trainer, great man for the team, great skipper. Whether he’s playing for us or Scotland, his effort and attitude are exactly the same.
“In autumn he had a week off before the Test series. He’ll have a week off this week against the Kings. We’ll manage his workload.
“But he’s a 27-year-old man, he’s at the prime of his life.
“If our guys don’t front up they won’t play, simple as that.
“If they don’t want to do it we’ll find someone else who does. It ain’t complicated and it won’t change.
“We are getting a group of guys now who are getting that emotional attachment with their teammates and the club.
“The South African boys look like they’re enjoying themselves. They’re good players, good men and we have a good vibe about the team.”
While Edinburgh have enjoyed the past four weeks, they realise there is a long way to go for the season as a whole.
“The season is alive for us, and that’s key,” Cockerill said.
“There are four teams below Leinster [in their PRO14 conference] who can all qualify and they’re good teams with good players.
“We needed these wins. This is the first time we’ve won away in the league this season but we just have to back it up.
“I want to be in Europe next year and we have to qualify for that. We have a lot to do.
“We still have a lot to prove and we can still fall flat on our backsides. We just have to keep our feet in the ground.”
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