SLOWLY, Edinburgh are starting to see the the prospect of an end of their availability issues – but the problems are not going to finish until they can find a way to cope with their latest complication, a sudden shortage of locks. It means they are going into tonight's match against Munster without a specialist replacement if either of the starters go down.
The problem comes with Grant Gilchrist and Ben Toolis both injured while Fraser McKenzie picked up a two-week ban for charging into a ruck. That leaves Anton Bresler and Alex Toolis, Ben's twin brother, as the only specialists. If either picks up a knock, one of the back rows will have to cover.
On the other side, as Alan Solomons, the head coach, pointed out Alex Toolis has the chance to emulate his brother who got first go at a place in the team less than a year ago and grabbed it with both hands, earning a cap and a place in the World Cup training squad before he tore and arm muscle.
With most of the Scotland players returning to the squad for tonight's clash with Munster – David Denton is the only exception after Solomons decided he had taken so much punishment during the World Cup that he needed an extra week to recover – they are in a position to pick from strength in most positions and the coach expects that by the end of the month all but two of the injured will be back in action.
He also thinks it is too soon to risk John Hardie, who signed for the club after coming from New Zealand to play for Scotland in the World Cup. While he is fit, he has had only a week's training with the team and Solomons thinks he needs longer to bed in before being thrown into such an important match.
On the upside, however, Matt Scott is able to take his place at centre after recovering from the back problem that ruled him out of the quarter final a bit more quickly than had initially been feared.
"It is a really big game, a great challenge and a great opportunity for a lot of players," Solomons said. "Munster are pretty much at full strength so it is going to be a really tough game. Having the internationals back has definitely lifted the team. The focus of the training has definitely been lifted by the presence of the international players, there is no doubt about that.
"We are slowly getting back to speed with the backs. We still have some problems with the forwards, but it is getting there, it will be geat when everyone is back. I am hoping we can get back to some form of full strength, which has not really happened this season.
"It is a very important game. They have clearly targeted this game but it is at our home and it is important that we do well in our home games if we are ambitious for that top six finish. That makes it a big, big game for both clubs."
Edinburgh: B Kinghorn; D Hoyland, W Helu, M Scott, T Brown; G Tonks, S Hidalgo-Clyne; A Dickinson, R Ford, W Nel, A Bresler, A Toolis, M Coman (C), H Watson, C Du Preez. Replacements: N Cochrane, R Sutherland, J Andress, R Grant, N Manu, S Kennedy, A Strauss, D Fife.
Munster: S Zebo; G van den Heever, K Earls, F Saili, R O'Mahony; I Keatley, C Murray; D Kilcoyne, D Casey, J Ryan; D Ryan, D Foley, D O'Callaghan, J O'Donoghue, CJ Stander (C). Replacements: N Scannell, J Cronin, M Sagario, R Copeland, J Coghlan, T O'Leary, R Scannell, D Hurley.
Referee: D Wilkinson (Ireland)
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