Greig Laidlaw keen to pack punch with Edinburgh in Europe

THE GREAT clash of Celts v Anglo Saxons in Europe kicks off this weekend in the cauldron of Heineken Cup rugby, and nowhere will the perceived difference of might versus muscle be more eagerly anticipated than at Murrayfield, when Saracens take on Edinburgh.

Against a backdrop of internal
fighting over the fairness of the leading club rugby competition for those in England and France against the non-qualifiers from the RaboDirect, a fresh battle for supremacy will start to unfold this weekend. There is nothing more certain than the English challenge coming wrapped in an intensely physical and direct package.

This is a crucial time for the Scottish teams to take on that challenge and prove they are more worthy of being at the top table than many in England and France believe. Edinburgh need to show that last season’s semi-final success was not a freak one-off, but the start of something for pro rugby north of the Border. Their skipper, Greig Laidlaw, has grasped that challenge, quick to criticise his side’s performance in last week’s RaboDirect PRO12 loss to Treviso at Murrayfield and admit that calibre of rugby will be nowhere near enough to humble Kelly Brown’s Saracens.

At the nub of every Edinburgh supporter’s concern, after a shoddy pack display against the Italians, is the ability of the forwards to take on some of the most physical in Europe. Laidlaw was not about to hide from the reality that a serious upturn in commitment, concentration and skill is required, particularly in the scrum, if the Scots are not to be overrun on Saturday by a visiting English side with a heavy South African core.

“Last week was a terrible performance,” said Laidlaw, shaking his head. “The forwards never functioned, the backs never played and, to rub salt into the wounds, the referee was garbage. There were a few harsh words spoken at the start of the week.

“But I’ve been happy with the way they’ve trained in the last few days and everyone is now looking forward. This is not where we want to do be – there’s no doubt about that – and I was worried about the way we played, but now that I’ve had a chance to look back and review the game, it’s clear that the lack of first-phase ball cost us.

“If we get our first-phase ball and get on the front, that’s where Edinburgh are a dangerous team. So, the set-piece is the big focus for this week. We have to get good-quality ball.

“We look back to the Leinster game three weeks ago and we ran them pretty close when we were down to 13 men. I take great heart from that. We don’t turn into a bad team overnight. We have had a bad day in the last two weeks and we have to put that right.”

Reflecting on a start to the league campaign, which, with two wins from six games, equals last season’s dismal opening, Laidlaw accepted the irony that coach Michael Bradley’s 
shuffling of a much stronger squad might actually be negatively affecting players’ concentration. That was a challenge, however, for the players and their concentration levels, he insisted, and not the coaches, because it was essential that all players were given their 
opportunities to push for places.

Though not revealing the team until Friday, this weekend Laidlaw will lead a side on to Murrayfield that will be clearly Edinburgh’s full-strength XV, with as strong a bench as they may ever have fielded in Europe.

That brings us back to the serious challenge which Saracens will pose up front. Laidlaw is eager to test himself at stand-off against one-time England first-pick Charlie Hodgson or the one who will be England’s ten for some time, Owen Farrell, but he knows that he requires his pack to give him the chance to take them on.

Edinburgh require a hugely powerful display in the scrum, lineout and breakdown over 80 minutes to allow their skipper to manage the game and uncork the kind of rugby that could open up a Sarries team blessed with top international talent across the field.

Laidlaw believes his teammates have it in them to douse the invaders from the south.

“I have huge confidence in our pack and I know they will stand up on Saturday,” said the skipper, “but the style of rugby they [Saracens] play week-in week-out in the Premiership – one-out runners and trying just to run over teams – means that 
[forward battles] will be a lot of the game.

“The Rabo is definitely 
different, so we need to get in there, get our defence right, and defend in threes and fours, and defend smartly. We do that and I believe we’ll be fine.”

Encouragingly for Edinburgh supporters, alongside his grasp of reality, the home skipper 
certainly has a strong belief.

“Teams in the past will have been quite happy to have Edinburgh in their group,” he added, “but I’m pretty sure, this season, teams won’t look forward to coming up here.

“There’s an expectation now. That element of surprise won’t be there this year. The expectation is also here in the squad. Everyone who played last year enjoyed it – no-one more than me – and wants to get back there.

“I take huge confidence from last season, but players have to realise that in these games we won we did everything to the best of our ability right through the 80 minutes, and that’s what it will take this weekend if Edinburgh Rugby are going to come out on top against Saracens, because they’re a top-quality side.”