Rugby: Turnbull replaces injured McInally in semi squad

Edinburgh Rugby have all the more reason to be grateful for Steve Turnbull’s recent return from ankle damage after the 25-year-old second row was drafted straight back into an injury-hit squad for tomorrow’s Heineken European Cup semi-final with Ulster in Dublin.

While coach Michael Bradley is able to stick with the starting line-up which covered itself in glory by beating Toulouse 19-14 in the quarter-final, a hamstring injury to Stuart McInally, who was a substitute against the Frenchmen, has given Turnbull his opportunity.

Before last weekend’s league trip to Cardiff, Turnbull had not appeared for Edinburgh Rugby since the New Year’s Day visit to Glasgow when his ankle problem re-occurred.

However, Turnbull did figure in Euro sectional matches against Cardiff and Racing Metro and his 6ft 7in and 17st frame will reinforce line-out options.

Losing McInally will be a blow, though, as the Scotland A back rower scored a try and gained man-of-the-match honours when Edinburgh opened their campaign with a win at London Irish.

Edinburgh: Brown, Jones, De Luca, Scott, T Visser, Laidlaw (captain), Blair, Jacobsen, Ford, Cross, Gilchrist, Cox, Denton, Talei, Rennie. Subs: Kelly, Traynor, Gilding, Turnbull, Grant, Leck, Godman, Thompson.