Edinburgh Rugby Team Announced for Quarter-Final Clash Against Vodacom Bulls
Edinburgh Rugby head coach, Sean Everitt, has announced his team for the BKT United Rugby Championship quarter-final clash against Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday, May 31. The team sees one change to the starting side that defeated Ulster to clinch Edinburgh’s playoff berth two weeks ago, with Jamie Ritchie returning to the side at blindside flanker, as reported by Edinburgh Rugby.
According to Edinburgh Rugby, Ritchie’s inclusion is the only change to the starting side, with Ben Muncaster shifting to the bench. The capital backline remains unchanged, with Wes Goosen starting at full-back alongside Scotland wing duo Darcy Graham and Harry Paterson in the back-three. James Lang, May’s Scottish Building Society Player of the Month, starts at inside-centre alongside Matt Currie in the midfield, with Ross Thompson and Ali Price forming a familiar partnership at fly-half and scrum-half respectively.
The forward pack sees Pierre Schoeman return to face his former club at loosehead, with Ewan Ashman (hooker) and D’arcy Rae (tighthead) forming the front row. At lock, Marshall Sykes and Sam Skinner start together for the third week in a row, as club co-captain Grant Gilchrist remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. In the back row, Ritchie is joined by fellow club centurions Hamish Watson (openside flanker) and captain Magnus Bradbury (number eight).
Speaking ahead of the match, Everitt said, as quoted by Edinburgh Rugby: "We know the Bulls are always a massive physical threat, especially here at Loftus. To compete, and to win, we will need to be at our absolute very best. That means bringing passion and intensity, but crucially, it also demands composure and clinical discipline for the full 80 minutes." He added, "We’ve been building momentum steadily throughout the season, and the players have worked incredibly hard to put ourselves in this position. There’s a real belief and confidence within the squad right now, and we’re in a good spot mentally and physically to tackle this challenge head-on."
The bench offers potential opportunities for two exciting prospects: academy scrum-half Conor McAlpine, 21, and 20-year-old back-row Liam McConnell. They step in as Charlie Shiel misses out with injury (kidney), while Glen Young has not made the trip to Pretoria after the recent birth of his child. Scotland international winger Duhan van der Merwe travelled with the squad to South Africa but remains sidelined from the matchday 23, having just returned to full training. Everitt added, as reported by Edinburgh Rugby: "Duhan [van der Merwe] has been back training with us here in Pretoria this week, and he’s feeling good. However, he’s probably still a few days away from being ready to return to full match action. We’re managing his return carefully to ensure he’s fully prepared when he does step back onto the field."
The match against Vodacom Bulls is a significant challenge for Edinburgh Rugby, with the team looking to make history by winning a URC knockout match on the road. As Edinburgh Rugby reports, Everitt said: "Winning a URC knockout match on the road would be a significant achievement for this club. It’s something we’ve been working towards, and the opportunity to make history is a powerful driver for us. We’ve got a fantastic group of players who are hungry for success, and we’re determined to put in a performance that reflects the ambition of Edinburgh Rugby."
Edinburgh Rugby Team to Face Vodacom Bulls:
15. Wes Goosen (54)
14. Darcy Graham (82)
13. Matt Currie (63)
12. James Lang (74)
11. Harry Paterson (16)
10. Ross Thompson (25)
9. Ali Price (40)
1. Pierre Schoeman (133)
2. Ewan Ashman (37)
3. D’arcy Rae (26)
4. Marshall Sykes (83)
5. Sam Skinner (43)
6. Jamie Ritchie (129)
7. Hamish Watson (178)
8. Magnus Bradbury (133) CAPTAIN
Replacements:
16. Paddy Harrison (32)
17. Boan Venter (90)
18. Javan Sebastian (29)
19. Liam McConnell (3)
20. Ben Muncaster (47)
21. Conor McAlpine (1)
22. Ben Healy (38)
23. Mark Bennett (111)
Unavailable: Emiliano Boffelli (hamstring), Connor Boyle (knee), Robert Carmichael (wrist), Dave Cherry (knee), Luke Crosbie (pec), Grant Gilchrist (hamstring), Jamie Hodgson (tricep), Paul Hill (back), Duhan van der Merwe (ankle), Matt Scott (neck), Charlie Shiel (kidney), Mosese Tuipulotu (knee), Ben Vellacott (foot), Glen Young (personal).
