Stuart McInally: Edinburgh captain motivated to challenge for honours
- Published
Edinburgh are in a promising position as the season prepares to resume
Edinburgh are being motivated by the chance to challenge for honours this season as they prepare to return to action, says captain Stuart McInally.
The capital side led Pro 14 Conference B when the season was suspended in March and had a Challenge Cup quarter-final with Bordeaux to look forward to.
Edinburgh return to action with a Murrayfield double header against Glasgow Warriors at the end of August.
"We've not been in this position much at the end of a season," said McInally.
"It's definitely exciting and it's a motivating factor knowing we can put ourselves in a great position to finish top of our Pro 14 pool, which would give us a home semi-final, and we are really excited to try and have good run in the Challenge Cup as well."
Prop McInally, 29, and his team-mates are in their second week of post-lockdown training. And, while glad to be back, the Scotland international admits things are very different now.
Meetings are outside, face coverings are worn, and the players are having to adapt.
"It is completely different," he said. "We sit in the concourse, on concrete, in a less than comfortable situation, with things being projected on to the wall.
"We have got our face coverings on for the majority of training, so that has taken a bit of getting used to, especially when you are doing some more close quarter things, but we just have to get used to it."
While his immediate focus is club duties, McInally is set to play a key role for Scotland later this year.
Gregor Townsend's side are set to play their rescheduled Six Nations match with Wales - which was postponed in March - on 31 October, followed by a new eight-team tournament.
As well as the Six Nations sides, Japan and Fiji will also compete in the event.
"It's just something different and different is often quite exciting," McInally said. "It's going to be busy, there will be a lot of games in a short space of time, I'm sure it will be good to be involved in that."