Back-row Luke Crosbie will begin his return from injury as part of the Edinburgh Rugby ‘A’ side named to start against Saracens Storm this Friday night at Stone X Stadium (4 October, kick-off 7pm).
Crosbie is one of five senior Edinburgh men named in the ‘A’ side, with prop Mikey Jones, lock Rob Carmichael, Conor Boyle (captain) and Cammy Scott (stand-off) all returning to the A-team after last weekend’s 33-14 win over the Glasgow Warriors.
They are joined by eight academy players in the starting XV, including returning try-scorers Conor McAlpine (scrum-half), Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (loosehead) and wing Lewis Wells.
Forwards Liam McConnell (back-row), Euan McVie (lock) and hooker Jerry Blyth-Lafferty complete the pack – the latter promoted from the bench in the place of Harri Morris, who joined the senior squad in South Africa after impressing in last week’s A-outing.
Backs Fin Thomson (centre) and Jack Brown (full-back) also return, with the staring side completed by Glasgow Warriors duo Amena Caqusau (wing) and Jonny Ventisei (centre) – allowing Jack Hocking to be released to feature in the Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership in his preferred position of stand-off.
Edinburgh Rugby Pro-Academy Coach, Kris Burney, said: “It was great to get off to a winning start to a new A-team campaign last weekend, while still recognising there are areas we can and need to improve.
“There continues to be a real buzz around the group and the prospect of playing for the A-side, both for the collective pride of playing for Edinburgh but also the chance to develop or promote your case for senior selection, against quality opposition.
“That will certainly be true this weekend as we travel to face Saracens Storm at Stone X Stadium, where both pride in the jersey and the noted improvements in our performance will need to be evident to challenge what we expect to be a very strong Saracens side.”
Edinburgh Rugby A team to face Saracens Storm at Stone X Stadium this Friday 4 October (kick-off 7pm)
15. Jack Brown *
14. Amena Caqusau (Glasgow Warriors)
13. Jonny Ventisei (Glasgow Warriors)
12. Fin Thomson *
11. Lewis Wells *
10. Cammy Scott (VC)
9. Conor McAlpine *
1. Mikey Jones
2. Jerry Blyth-Lafferty *
3. Ollie Blyth-Lafferty *
4. Euan McVie *
5. Rob Carmichael
6. Liam McConnell *
7. Connor Boyle CAPTAIN
8. Luke Crosbie
Substitutes
16. Seb Stephen (Edinburgh Accies)
17. Callum Smyth (Glasgow Warriors)
18. Callum Norrie (Glasgow Warriors)
19. Dan Halkon (Glasgow Warriors)
20. Freddy Douglas *
21. Hamish MacArthur *
22. Isaac Coates*
23. Kerr Yule (Glasgow Warriors
24. Fergus Watson (Glasgow Warriors
*Edinburgh Rugby pro-academy
2024/25 Edinburgh Rugby ‘A’ fixture schedule:
Friday 27 September – Edinburgh Rugby A 33-14 Glasgow Warriors A
Friday 4 October – Saracens Storm v Edinburgh Rugby A, Stone X Stadium (kick-off 7pm)
Saturday 12 October – Bath Rugby A v Edinburgh Rugby A, The Rec (kick-off 1pm)
Saturday 26 October – Ealing Trailfinders v Edinburgh Rugby A, Trailfinders Sports Club (kick-off 2pm)
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