Scottish Rugby

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Sean Everitt wants Edinburgh to maintain their "positive energy" with victory over Lions on Friday night to reach the Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

Edinburgh head into the European tie on the back of a comprehensive home win over Dragons in the URC last weekend in which several Scotland players returned to club action.

"We've put ourselves in a good position," said head coach Everitt.

"It's always good to take some momentum into a knockout game like this weekend. There's a lot of positive energy around the camp.

"We had a lot of guys returning last week, that certainly helps the energy and the guys are really focused on the Lions on Friday.

"It's a competition that has got a bit of prestige to it and it is an opportunity for a trophy as well."

Ross McCann starts in place of Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe, who is out until next month because of an ankle injury, in one of four Edinburgh changes.

Hooker Dave Cherry is back in the XV for the first time since starting all five of Scotland's games in the recent Six Nations, while Paul Hill returns at tighthead prop and Sam Skinner starts at lock.

Full-back Wes Goosen, who signed a new two-year deal this week, makes his 50th Edinburgh appearance.

Lions were thumped 42-0 by Glasgow in the URC last weekend and Everitt added: "They'll all be disappointed with that loss, but I know how proud they are as a franchise and as a group of players and I know them quite well, so they'll be looking to bounce back this weekend."

Edinburgh team to face Lions: Goosen, Graham, Currie, Lang, McCann, Thompson, Vellacott; Schoeman, Cherry, Hill, Skinner, Gilchrist, Ritchie, Watson, Bradbury.

Replacements: Ashman, Venter, Sebastian, Young, Douglas, Price, Scott, Brown.

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Former Scotland captain and British and Irish Lions hooker Frank Laidlaw has died at the age of 84.

Born in Hawick, Laidlaw won 32 caps for Scotland between 1965 and 1971, missing just one match in that time.

He succeeded Melrose team-mate Jim Telfer as captain of the national side, leading them to victory over England at Murrayfield in the final game of the 1970 Five Nations.

Laidlaw toured with the Lions to Australia, New Zealand and Canada in 1966 and again to New Zealand in 1971.

He played 28 games for the Lions, including two Tests against the All Blacks in 1966.

Laidlaw also made 10 appearances for the Barbarians, touring South Africa in 1969.

BBC Scotland rugby reporter Andy Burke has been answering some of your questions.

Stuart asked: Is Darcy Graham too good for Edinburgh? Does he need to move on?

Andy answered: The harsh reality is yes, Darcy Graham is too good for Edinburgh.

The Scotland wing has the ability, attitude and X-factor to be playing for any of the world's top club sides.

Given that Edinburgh have been bobbing around the bottom half of the URC for too long, you can't get away from the fact that Graham's talents are deserving of a bigger stage.

He turns 28 in June and is contracted until the 2027 Rugby World Cup, by which time he will be 30.

It may be that at that stage he wants to sample something different, perhaps following the lead of his former Edinburgh team-mate Blair Kinghorn who has enjoyed such tremendous success in France with Toulouse. There would be no shortage of offers.

From an Edinburgh and Scottish rugby perspective, you would hope Graham sticks around and a team can be built around him to compete. He is a player that deserves to be challenging for silverware.

Alex asked: Why are the SRU not promoting Murrayfield for European cup finals? The last year's finals were at Tottenham Stadium in London, a non-rugby club, and also in Spain, again at a football stadium. Surely revenue should be kept within the game? The last one played at Murrayfield was in 2017.

Andy answered: That 2017 Champions Cup final at Murrayfield between Saracens and Clermont was a fantastic occasion and definitely something the SRU should be pushing to do again.

Of the seven finals played since then, four have taken place at football stadia, affirming the EPCR's desire to get rugby's showpiece club event into non-rugby territory in front of new audiences.

The final returns to Cardiff this season and while reaching new fans is an understandable focus for those running the European game, it's also important to cater for your base, the supporters who sustain the sport all year round.

The SRU are eager to maximise revenues from Murrayfield, and staging European finals would seem like an obvious way to do just that.

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Wes Goosen has signed on for another two years with Edinburgh, saying it would be "stupid to leave".

The 29-year-old South African-born full-back, who joined in 2022, is set for his 50th Edinburgh appearance on Friday night and has played every minute this season.

After extending his deal to 2027, Goosen said: "I've loved it here. I love the boys and playing under Sean [Everitt] and the coaching staff.

"It would just be stupid to leave. There's so much potential here. I think I've started to play some of my best rugby."

Should Goosen see out his contract he will become eligible for Scotland and could follow Edinburgh team-mates Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman, who also qualified through residency rules.

"It's definitely something I thought about," Goosen said. "Watching Tom Jordan play in the Six Nations and how well he played was cool and the passion that he had straight away for Scotland and seeing a few of the South African boys, it's definitely something I thought about.

"It was more a case of I've really enjoyed it here, it'd be silly to move. But, yeah, keep playing good rugby and see what happens."

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt said: "Wes has already established himself as one of the best players in the URC and if he continues to develop to be in the mix with Scotland in 2027, I've got no doubt he has the potential to be an international level player."

Chris Paterson believes Glasgow Warriors are primed to "break through their glass ceiling", but the Scotland great says they will need luck along the way.

Franco Smith's URC champions are aiming to retain their title this season, but they also have hopes of excelling in the Champions Cup, with a last-16 tie at home to Leicester Tigers looming on Saturday.

"It might not be in your hands whether you break though a glass ceiling or not," Paterson told the BBC's Scotland Rugby Podcast.

"The level you're competing at, you need a bit of luck. Glasgow are still missing key players, but hey have got the components to win every game they play. That's the desire, that's the aim.

"Franco said they are in a better place than last year, which I agree with, but the opposition teams are probably better."

Edinburgh will also be in European action when they host Lions on Friday, and Paterson's former side go into the match on the back of a comfortable URC victory over Dragons.

Paterson was keen to single out Scotland winger Darcy Graham's dazzling display in the 38-5 win.

"He's been the difference," Paterson added. "He does it with a smile on his face. The way he battles to find space, wriggles, fights, gets to this feet, steals metres.

"That's just Darcy's natural game. And you look at his awareness for the first try... he's just brilliant."

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Edinburgh's Pierre Schoeman has vowed not to let a potential British and Irish Lions call-up distract from his Edinburgh form.

The Scotland loosehead has been mooted as a possible pick for Andy Farrell when he names his squad in early May, but 30-year-old is keen to stress he is fully focused on club matters.

Edinburgh face South African side Lions in the Challenge Cup this Friday and are in the hunt for a URC play-off spot.

"It's always in the back of your mind," the prop said on the possibility of joining up with the Lions squad this summer. "However, when we do our prep for the match on the weekend, it's not near what you focus on.

"You just focus on what's important now, and that is the Lions game this week. Everything else, you switch off. Once we come in here, we focus, we prep, and you make sure you're on it.

"There's no personal distractions, no future distractions. It's just about the present, delivering.

"It [the Lions] is obviously something I've written down as a goal, and hopefully it will be. But the only controllables you can have is play well for Edinburgh, do everything you can, leave no stone unturned."

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Duhan van der Merwe's hopes of British and Irish Lions selection remain alive after Edinburgh confirmed the wing is on track to return to action "during May".

The club have given an update after the 29-year-old, who is Scotland's record try scorer, had a scan on the ankle injury that forced him off during the URC victory over Dragons on Friday night.

Lions head coach Andy Farrell names his squad on May 8 and if Van der Merwe's recovery goes to plan he is likely to be included for his second successive tour.

Edinburgh have also said lock Marshall Sykes is set to return "before the end of May".

Sandy Smith
Fan writer

Apparently you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, so I'm going to take this six-try, five-point victory over Dragons, say thank you and move on.

Edinburgh's play wasn't perfect by a long shot, but on a bitterly cold night at the Hive, we inflicted the biggest margin of defeat in Dragons' terrible season so far.

There were a few notable performances.

Paddy Harrison got a brace of tries and was close to getting Edinburgh's second hat-trick of the season. His second try certainly demonstrated his pace.

Our lineout completion rate was also much better which was handy as we did have 20 lineouts.

In the absence of Mosese Tuipulotu there was a return of the centre pairing of James Lang and Matt Currie. Both had good games.

Currie's first-minute tackle prevented a certain try that might have changed the course of the game, and he finished the 80 with a strong try in the corner. Currie is now the joint-top try scorer for the club this season along with Duhan van der Merwe and Paddy Harrison.

Wes Goosen continues to provide great value, having not missed a minute of the season so far. In this game, I lost count of the high balls that Dragons sent his way, and he gobbled them up gratefully.

However, the man of the match award rightfully went to Darcy Graham, who is one of those players you just love to watch. More carries, more clean breaks and more defenders beat than anyone in this match. Every time he got the ball you could sense the danger he was to the Dragons defence.

We could have been better. Dragons weren't exactly taxing opponents yet we gave them an easy ride in the second half and there were far too many missed opportunities because of handling errors.

Ultimately, other results went our way, and we finished the weekend in eighth. Something tells me there will be drama yet to come.

This week, we have a late-night date with the Lions. We'll be looking to right the wrongs of our defeat to them in Johannesburg from earlier in the season and secure a home tie in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup.

How do we go about arranging for it to be a bit breezy?

Sandy Smith can be found at The Burgh Watch, external

Grant Young
Fan writer

I'm not sure what's more impressive - winning by 42 points or holding a team to nil.

Glasgow had to battle not only the travelling Lions but a 40mph wind that helped in the first half but felt like playing against an extra player in the second.

The Warriors were clinical in the opening 40, Nathan McBeth has returned with a bang and has now scored four on the bounce.

Jamie Dobie, out on the wing, deservedly was awarded man of the match. It wasn't just for his two tries, because defensively he timed some incredible tackles that completely ended any Lions momentum.

Adam Hastings, much criticised for his last two performances, looked to have a greater level of composure after a shaky start and scored his first Glasgow try since returning north.

However, the big headline scorer is new club record holder George Horne, who leaps over DTH Van Der Merve as the player with the most tries for the club. The question now is by how many can he extend the record?

On to the Champions Cup next and the visit of Leicester Tigers. It is a special competition and there is always something different in the build-up.

It's another chance for those in British and Irish Lions contention to impress against a cross-border rival and, for the club, it almost has the feel of a Scotland v England match.

Leicester have a wealth of international experience at their disposal and are third in the English Premiership.

It's going to be a brilliant matchup as the URC defending champions take on one of the big English sides.

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Edinburgh and Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe has had a scan on the ankle injury he picked up in Friday's win over Dragons.

British and Irish Lions hopeful Van der Merwe, 29, went off in the first half of the 38-5 win and was seen in a protective boot.

"Duhan went for a MRI today," head coach Sean Everitt said on Monday. "We haven't had the results back. We should know that early this evening.

"He's in a boot. But we can't see the damages. A little bit of soreness and swelling this morning and that's all I can report on."

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George Horne has signed a new contract with Glasgow Warriors just days after becoming the club's record try scorer.

The 29-year-old scored Warriors' fourth try in Saturday's 42-0 win over Lions to take his club total to 55, which saw him overtake DTH van der Merwe as the United Rugby Championship club's record try scorer.

The scrum-half says it was an easy decision to sign a new contract at "exciting" Glasgow Warriors, with the club announcing he he signed on "for the foreseeable future".

"That's the main thing, everyone's been so delighted for me, a lot of congratulations online and stuff, so it's been nice to see," he said.

"The boys have been great, they recognised it after the game. I'm just thankful to play in a team that gets me on the end of a lot of tries, it's been a cool couple of days.

"[I've] Just signed up for another couple of years here, and I think I said after the game, I'm really proud to represent Glasgow, the club and the city as well and obviously delighted to be staying on.

"It's a club where I've played my whole professional career at, I love being part of it - the boys, the backroom staff, everyone involved with the club - it's a great place to come into work every day.

"Obviously, coming off the back of last year, we're in a pretty good place, but we're desperate to achieve more. It's an exciting club to be a part of at the moment, and I can't wait to see what the rest of this year and the next couple of years have in store."

As usual on a Monday, we're giving you the chance to put your burning questions about the game to our rugby reporter Andy Burke.

There was a Six Nations defeat for Scotland women in France, but both Glasgow and Edinburgh claimed URC victories.

Send your questions via this link and they will be answered on this page later in the week.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Edinburgh bounce back

It's what Edinburgh do, isn't it? Follow up a poor performance with a reaction to deliver a better display.

First things first – Dragons are a poor outfit. Other than a couple of fleeting moments early in the game and Aaron Wainwright's try shortly after the break, the URC's bottom side offered little.

Still, Edinburgh did a professional job on them, killing the contest with four unanswered first-half tries.

The frustration is they didn't keep the foot on the gas after the break, but maximum points is what they came for and that's what they delivered.

Dazzling Darcy back with a bang

Everything looks rosier in the Edinburgh garden when Darcy Graham is on the field.

The little magician was at his electric best after his return to the team from Six Nations duties with Scotland.

Every time he got his hands on the ball he looked to make things happen, and the Dragons' defence could not contain him.

Graham created Paddy Harrison's second try with one deft chip over the defence, gathered the ball then put through another inch perfect kick for the hooker to score.

His speed and anticipation saw him get on the end of Ben Vellacot's smart dink over the top to cross the whitewash himself.

It would be unfeasible to think Graham is not at the forefront of the thoughts of the Lions selectors, but this was just a timely little reminder of his class.

Harrison stakes his claim

Paddy Harrison stood up with a big performance and, in many respects, a timely one.

The hooker scored two tries, the first of which a routine score from a rolling maul, the second far more flamboyant, outpacing the cover defence to touch down a clever kick through from Darcy Graham.

Harrison has had to make do with being third choice in the queue for the Edinburgh number two jersey, behind Scotland internationals Ewan Ashman and Dave Cherry.

However, with Ashman struggling for form with club and country, and Cherry rumoured to be leaving for France at the end of the season, Harrison could find more opportunities coming his way.

Another Scotland international hooker, Dylan Richardson, could well be on his way to Edinburgh for next season, but Harrison can push himself into the conversation.

Having got a taste of Test action on last summer's tour of the Americas, Harrison could get some more exposure to international rugby this summer, depending on how strong a Scotland squad is selected.

We asked for your opinions on the Scottish rugby action over the weekend.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

SCOTLAND WOMEN

J: Amazing match in La Rochelle and amazing atmosphere in the stadium. France were too powerful and took advantage in seven minutes of madness, but Scotland did us fans proud. What a place to watch a game, too - wonderful and welcoming local support, with fans staying in their seats to cheer the team long after the final whistle.

Johnny: Why does the coaching team leave most of their replacements until late in the game? In this game there was a big shift in momentum with three quick tries but three or four of the subs were not used until the last 10 minutes. With a squad of 23, we don't seem to make the most of our replacements.

Hopey: Difficult match for the Scotland team. France were clearly more powerful and had player after player able to make yards in contact. Cannot fault the team for effort and showed that their belief was still strong to score their second try at the end of the game. Take the loss and move on.

EDINBURGH

Kenny: First-class first half, but the second period a different story. Dropped balls and sloppy passing plus the ongoing line-out problems emerged. Ross Thompson continues to struggle at fly half.

David: How good was Darcy Graham? Scored one try, set up another, and got Edinburgh behind the Dragons defence on so many occasions. When Graham is not there and Edinburgh have to batter down the door, or find some creativity elsewhere, they have a tendency to struggle.

Andy: Great to get bonus point win but being honest, Dragons are a poor side and Edinburgh left about half a dozen tries out there due to lack of composure and terrible handling. A lot of work to do if they're to make the play-offs and progress in Europe.

Steve: Healthy looking scoreline that papered over a lot of cracks. No disrespect to Dragons, but our performance could have seen us lose to every other team in the league. Easy to see the errors but thankfully Graham and Paddy Harrison had a stellar first half. Cammy Scott looked decent when he came and Ross McCann was solid and busy again.

GLASGOW

Iain: The SRU & Glasgow need to pull out all the stops to secure Franco Smith on an extended contract to prevent him from being offered the Wales job - we can't afford to lose him.

James: A game of two halves, both equally exciting despite the difference in scoring. Loved it.

David: Glasgow were in top form on both sides of the ball. To score two points in the first half, then nil the Lions in the second, was a great effort. If only Scotland had played with the same targeted passion in the Six Nations, they would not have finished fourth.

Scotland fans, what did you make of Bryan Easson's side's performance as they fell to a 38-15 defeat by France in La Rochelle? Who impressed in your opinion?

We're also looking for your reaction to Glasgow Warriors 42-0 demolition of Lions in the United Rugby Championship.

Have your say on the matches.

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Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt has revealed the club are trying to sign Scotland hooker Dylan Richardson.

The 26-year-old, who has six caps, has spent his entire club career with Sharks in South Africa and can also play in the back row.

After reports emerged earlier this week touting the possibility of a move, Everitt was asked how likely a deal is after Edinburgh's United Rugby Championship win over Dragons on Friday.

"We're still in talks," he said. "Dylan has been on our radar at Edinburgh since he was 18 years old - that's when I was coaching him in Durban.

"We've tried for a number of years to bring him to Scotland, so who knows?

"I think the versatility is good for us. But, like I say, he's a Durban boy, he's got two years left on his contract, so yeah, it's a far cry - but not impossible."

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Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm tells BBC Sport: "It was really tough.

"At half-time we had a real energy about us, but that 15-20 minutes after half-time they really turned it up a notch. We didn't really react.

"We showed we can compete against the best, but if we don't concentrate and keep our intesnity for the full 80 minutes then teams will punish us and that's what they did.

"I'm super proud of the effort - to score a try at the death is what this team is all about."

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Paddy Harrison paid tribute to "livewire" Darcy Graham after the Scotland winger inspired Edinburgh to a bonus-point win over Dragons.

Graham scored a try and created the second of Harrison's two tries as the hosts touched down six times in a 38-5 win to boost the capital side's hopes of making the URC playoffs.

"He's an absolute livewire," Harrison told BBC Scotland.

"You've seen that the whole game. He just keeps on going, which is the most impressive thing.

"He's class, and it's class to have him back."

Harrison was pleased with the way Edinburgh bounced back from a disappointing loss to Benetton in Italy last weekend.

"Obviously, we needed a win this week, it was pretty obvious," said the hooker.

"The boys did pretty well. I was pretty gutted last week to lose it at the end of the game.

"We came out firing this week, so it was pretty good.

"We chatted about having a fast start at the start of the game and we definitely did that. We took our chances when we had them, so I'm pretty pleased.

"It's obviously really tight around that end of the table. Every game is a huge game for us going forward.

"We need to be putting those performances out every week."