Young star Jamie Ritchie is the first of Edinburgh’s legion of out-of-contract players to sign a new deal and will make his first European start for the club against London Irish in Reading this afternoon.
The Howe of Fife and Strathallan School product, captain of Scotland Under-20, has signed on for another three years with the capital club having originally joined straight from school two years ago.
The Dundee-born flanker, still only 19, said: “I’ve really enjoyed my first eighteen months of professional rugby and I’m very excited to be continuing with the club.
“I like where the club’s going, I enjoy working with Solly [Alan Solomons] and playing alongside such a great bunch of guys it’s been said before but we really are like brothers.”
Ritchie is pitched into European action for the first time today with Michael Allen also making his first start for Edinburgh as the Scotland stars who have done the heavy lifting for the last few weeks are given a week off.
The Scotland front-row of Ali Dickinson, Ross Ford and WP Nel get a break after five successive games, while John Hardie and Matt Scott both get a week off.
Head coach Solomons said: “With some of last weekend’s team being rested an opportunity is being given to a number of players.
“I’m delighted that Jamie will be making his first start for the club. It’s good to see that a number of his age grade peers, including Magnus Bradbury and Damien Hoyland, could also take the field this week.
“With Blair Kinghorn and Chris Dean also in the 23, it underlines the quality young players we have coming through the squad.”
Irish have lost their last three meetings with Edinburgh, including last year’s nail-biting finish in the European Challenge Cup quarter-final, and the club who have Scotland internationals Blair Cowan, Geoff Cross and Sean Maitland in their squad are currently bottom of the Aviva Premiership.
“London Irish have had a difficult season and will be looking at this game to build confidence,” said Solomons.
“I believe that they will put out a full strength team and as such we will be subjected to a real test of the strength in depth in our squad.”
Edinburgh team: Dougie Fife; Tom Brown, Michael Allen, Andries Strauss, Otulea Katoa; Greig Tonks, Nathan Fowles; Rory Sutherland, Neil Cochrane (capt), John Andress; Anton Bresler, Alex Toolis; Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Cornell Du Preez.
Replacements: George Turner, Grant Shiells, Simon Berghan, Magnus Bradbury, Chris Dean, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Blair Kinghorn, Damien Hoyland.