Pierre Schoeman reveals Fringe exploits and his goals with Edinburgh this season

Schoeman, 25, has been an impressive addition to head coach Richard Cockerill’s squad and the former Junior Springbok has made no secret of the fact he is focused on earning international recognition for his adopted homeland despite having to wait out four more years of the now extended World Rugby residency laws.

The former Blue Bulls man was Edinburgh’s player of the year last season and has provided an entertaining addition to the Scottish rugby public, both in press interviews and on social media as he showcases how he and wife Charissa have relished their new life in the capital. “I’ve been going exploring, to a zoo near Stirling with some wildlife and African animals,” explained Schoeman about his endless thirst for experiences in his new country.

“Me and the missus love the Fringe a lot. We had a magician who asked me on an ‘off’ [training] week that he was going to lie under glass and I should just walk over him and I just whispered in his ear ‘Mate, I don’t think this is a good idea, it’s an off week for the front rows and we have been eating’.”

Despite those occasional Fringe binges, Schoeman said he was fighting fit ahead of the first pre-season hit-out against London Scottish at BT Murrayfield on Saturday.

“I’m feeling fit. If you’re not fit after four months pre-season with Coach Cockers then there’s something wrong.” said Schoeman with a smile.

“It was good to condition the body. With the Scotland boys being away at World Cup training it’s been good to get the young boys getting some reps [training repetitions] in too. It’s almost been like army. But it’s what you get paid to do and it’s a blessing.”

Schoeman has one game under his belt already after Edinburgh took on the Scotland World Cup squad in a closed-doors game at Oriam. “It was quite full on,” revealed the loosehead.

“The scrums were uncontested, which I was quite glad about against someone like [Edinburgh and Scotland tighthead] WP [Nel] at the age of almost 40!” [Nel is actually only 33]. Before games like that it’s all ‘Don’t go too hard’ and then as soon as someone niggles you then it is full-on, actually.”