Duncan Hodge ready for Edinburgh experience like no other

Duncan Hodge has played at Myreside and knows the close proximity of the crowd to the pitch can be intimidating. Pic: SNS

The acting Edinburgh head coach leads his side into this evening’s first outing at the  revamped Watsonians stadium knowing that by full-time it could, or certainly should, be rocking with supporters celebrating qualification for a home quarter-final in the European Challenge Cup.

In a season of ups and downs which has seen head coach Alan Solomons depart and a few dispiriting results, punctuated by tantalising displays of excellence, it is a prospect to savour.

Edinburgh’s target is clear – beat Pool 5 basement boys Timisoara Saracens of Romania with a bonus point and it will be job done. They beat the same team 59-17 away earlier in the campaign, so will be expected to win comfortably.

The excellent win at  Harlequins last weekend, which opened the door to the last eight, has injected a healthy dose of enthusiasm for the week building up to the  Myreside return and Hodge is hoping the players and fans  can combine to make it a  memorable evening.

“Everyone is looking forward to it,” said the coach. “At this stage we just don’t know [what it’s going to be like] until we arrive, see the crowd and run out.

“Obviously I’ve played here in front of decent crowds. Hopefully it will be intimidating, the crowd are right there [close to the pitch] and they’ll get right behind us. It’s a bit of an unknown but I’m sure it will be a big thing.”

Hodge has made six changes to the side that won in London, with Neil Cochrane getting a start at hooker on what will be his 50th appearance for the club.

Grant Gilchrist returns at lock, while Nathan Fowles gets a run-out at scrum-half.

Tighthead Simon Berghan also starts in the week he gained a surprise call-up to Vern Cotter’s Six Nations Scotland squad, while there will be contrasting emotions in the back-row where flanker Magnus Bradbury, who missed out on Scotland inclusion, joins No. 8 Cornell du Preez, who did get the call.

“It’s been a tough couple of days for Magnus,” said Hodge. “These things happen to us all – people have highs and lows. He’s got his head screwed on. He’s just got to work away and take the feedback on board.

“He’s a professional guy, he’s got high standards, and  I’m sure he’ll react.

“There’s one guy who’s  probably elated, and Magnus isn’t. You console with one and congratulate the other.

“Cornell may get some extra confidence, and Magnus, on the flip side, might get some extra motivation because he’s got a point to prove.

“It’s hard to predict these things, but I’m sure they’ll be fine.”

There was no news to report on WP Nel, who was named in the Six Nations squad amid concerns that he may have  aggravated the neck injury which kept him out of the last couple of months of the year in that Harlequins game.

“Everyone knows what happened at the weekend,” said Hodge. “He’s being assessed and I don’t know anything more. Hopefully it’s nothing untoward.”

Hodge added: “There’s a  couple of bumps and bruises and guys who’ve been doing well in training and need some game time. In essence we’ve picked a pretty strong squad. We’ve had a good two or three weeks and making a lot of changes can sometimes upset things.

“It’s a big game, our first one here. We could have altered more but have chosen not to and will look to keep that form going. We want to perform  really well.”

With limited parking in the area, there will be two park-and-ride operations, one for season-ticket holders at Napier University’s Craiglockhart campus and one for the general public from BT Murrayfield.

Edinburgh managing director Jonny Petrie said: “We’ve worked enormously hard throughout the process on working with parents at the school and with local residents as well. When you start to see it being brought to life and the event comes together, you get a sense that there is a good buzz in the area about it.”