Rugby: Forward trio commit to Edinburgh

Delighted Edinburgh head coach Michael Bradley hailed the signings, saying: “I’m delighted that we’ve retained the services of these three big, dynamic, physical forwards for two years beyond this season.

“All three have Edinburgh Rugby in their hearts. They want the club to develop and win trophies and that’s a key ingredient for me. They’re young players and, when you add their names to that of Greig Laidlaw who extended earlier in the season, you can see a degree of shape forming for the future.

“Securing these players gives us more long-term stability which is very important at a club that wants to compete at the highest level, but that stability has to come from players who have quality and we believe that those players have those qualities.”

So far Denton, 21, has led the way to international recognition, coming from off the bench in the first of this summer’s World Cup warm-up games, against Ireland. Although passed over for a place in the final Cup squad, at 6ft and 113kg, he has used experienced gained as one of four ever-presents in the Rabo Direct Pro 12 League for Edinburgh this season, all six starts taking his appearances for the club to 15.

Robust former Scotland under-20 captain McInally, 21, has started the last three games since returning from injury while Turnbull, at 24, is the most experienced of the trio.

Turnbull, 6ft 7in and 119kg, is only now beginning to fulfil enormous potential having recovered from a series of injuries, and with Edinburgh short on second-row bulk following the exits of Scott Macleod, Craig Hamilton and Fraser McKenzie, his retention is particularly key.