Rugby: French side look set to turn to Blair

The odds of Edinburgh and Scotland scrum-half Mike Blair moving to French club Perpignan have shortened following signing developments across the English Channel.

Kevin Boulogne, currently one of the Catalan outfit’s number 9s, confirmed that he has agreed terms for a move to Pau, exacerbating Perpignan’s recruitment needs.

Meanwhile, the Australian Josh Valentine – one of four players believed to be on a shortlist of targets also thought to include Blair – penned a two-year extension to his current contract at Narbonne, the club where former Scotland coach Matt Williams is in charge.

Blair, scorer of his side’s try in their Heineken Cup triumph over Toulouse last Saturday, is out of contract with Edinburgh in the summer.

The Capital outfit moved yesterday to bolster the squad for next season when the anticipated signing of Georgian international Dimitri Basilaia was confirmed.

The powerful No. 8 caught the eye of Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley, while the Irishman was helping Georgia in the build-up to last year’s World Cup.

Basilaia joins from French third tier outfit Valence d’Agen, and Bradley said of the acquisition: “I believe that Dimitri will prove to be a very significant signing for Edinburgh Rugby.”