Rugby: Englishman Francis become Edinburgh’s 14th non-Scot

JUST three months after breaking into the Waikato provincial rugby team with a debut against Taranaki, 22-year-old Piers Francis has quit New Zealand rugby to sign for Edinburgh.

The Englishman, who spent three years in New Zealand after quitting Saracens, arrives from to add competition to a stand-off spot where Edinburgh have already called upon Greig Laidlaw, Harry Leonard and Gregor Hunter this season.

The arrival of Francis, right, takes the number of non-Scots qualified players on Edinburgh’s books to 14. The player is due to arrive in the Capital later today and could debut in Friday’s home encounter with Ospreys.