Edinburgh Rugby has named three starting changes for tomorrow night’s Scottish Building Society Pre-Season Series clash against Bath Rugby at Hive Stadium (Friday 6 October, kick-off 7.30pm).
Scrum-half Ben Vellacott returns to captain the side after missing last weekend’s Connacht match due to the birth of his son.
Wes Goosen shifts to outside-centre as GB Sevens flyer and former Boroughmuir Bear Jordan Edmunds comes into the starting XV on the wing.
In the pack, hooker Patrick Harrison starts – as Adam McBurney moves to the bench – in the only other change to the starting line-up.
Tickets for the capital side’s final warm-up clash at Hive Stadium are still available at edinburghrugby.org – book now and back the squad ahead of the BKT URC kick-off.
Edinburgh Rugby Senior Coach, Sean Everitt, said: “This will be a great test for the squad and a good measure of where we’re at both physically and mentally ahead of the start of the URC campaign.
“We were really happy with a number of aspects of our game against Connacht, especially our defensive intensity and ability to turn pressure into points in the opening 40 minutes. It was also great to see so many young players step up, with Cammy Scott and Nathan Sweeney both making their first home starts.
“Bath are a really physical side with plenty of quality across the board. We’re looking forward to the challenge tomorrow night.”
Academy graduate Nathan Sweeney continues at full-back as GB Sevens duo Ross McCann and Edmunds are selected on opposite wings.
Centre Mark Bennett and Goosen form a new-look midfield pairing as stand-off Cammy Scott links-up with Vellacott at half-back.
Hooker Harrison packs down alongside unchanged props Angus Williams and Boan Venter as Scotland locks Jamie Hodgson and Glen Young complete the tight-five.
Number 8 Cameron Neild once again anchors a back-row featuring flankers Connor Boyle (openside) and Tom Dodd (blindside).
Having joined the club this week, tighthead prop D’Arcy Rae is named among the replacements where he’ll have the opportunity to face his former club.
Edinburgh Rugby team to face Bath Rugby at Hive Stadium in the Scottish Building Society Pre-Season Series Friday 6 October (kick-off 7.30pm)
15. Nathan Sweeney
14. Ross McCann
13. Wes Goosen
12. Mark Bennett
11. Jordan Edmunds
10. Cammy Scott
9. Ben Vellacott CAPTAIN
1. Boan Venter
2. Patrick Harrison
3. Angus Williams
4. Glen Young
5. Jamie Hodgson
6. Tom Dodd
7. Connor Boyle
8. Cameron Neild
Replacements
16. Adam McBurney
17. Robin Hislop
18. D’Arcy Rae
19. Liam McConnell
20. Mitch Eadie
21. Charlie Shiel
22. Charlie Savala
23. Chris Dean
24. Matt Currie
Unavailable: Luan de Bruin (back), Dave Cherry (concussion), Jake Henry (knee), James Lang (calf), Ben Muncaster (knee), Harry Paterson (ankle), Marshall Sykes (hand), Tim Swiel (ankle).
International selection: Ewan Ashman, Javan Sebastian, Pierre Schoeman, WP Nel, Sam Skinner, Grant Gilchrist, Luke Crosbie, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Viliame Mata, Ben Healy, Blair Kinghorn, Darcy Graham, Duhan van der Merwe, Emiliano Boffelli.
Queen Ginger
Rugby was founded in 1823 at Rugby School in Warwickshire, England.
Unleashed
Soccer has been used for political effect: Africans as a bloc convinced FIFA, the game’s world governing body, to suspend South Africa in 1961 because of its apartheid policies.