John Barclay: Scotland captain's move to Edinburgh from Scarlets confirmed

John Barclay captained Scotland to victory over Samoa last weekend

Scotland captain John Barclay will join Edinburgh from next season, the Scottish club have confirmed.

The Scarlets back-row, 31, has been with the Welsh region since leaving Glasgow Warriors in 2013, and captained them to the Pro12 title last year.

Capped 64 times by Scotland, Barclay will bring a wealth of experience to a side that has placed no higher than eighth in the past six league seasons.

• Barclay column on Edinburgh move & facing All Blacks

Barclay says Edinburgh "has a huge amount of potential".

"I can see what they are trying to do, so I'm looking forward to being a part of it," he said. "Scotland is home, so it'll be great to come back and play at one of my home clubs."

Head coach Richard Cockerill surprised many by naming young back-row Magnus Bradbury as his captain at the start of the season, only to strip the player of that title following an off-field misdemeanour.

The arrival of Barclay, who will lead Scotland against New Zealand at Murrayfield on Saturday, continues Cockerill's remodelling of Edinburgh's squad.

The future of another Edinburgh and Scotland back-row, John Hardie, is unclear as he remains the subject of an ongoing internal disciplinary investigation into alleged cocaine use.

Cockerill said of Barclay: "We're delighted that a player of John's calibre has chosen to join Edinburgh.

"He's a terrific player, with a proven track record and his leadership values will only add to the strong culture we're building at this club. John is committed to taking Edinburgh forward and his ambition to create a winning environment will benefit our squad immensely."