Ben Cairns: Desperate to impress after a long spell on the sidelines
Edinburgh have been boosted with a welcome return of key players for Friday's Heineken Cup clash with Racing Metro. The hosts have yet to score a try in Europe this season and are desperate to hit back against the French team hunting top-spot if they win. Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley has made eight changes, including a return for fit-again centre Ben Cairns, who has not played since suffering a knee injury 15 months ago. Cairns' fellow centre Ben Atiga is also back from injury, along with Fijian back-row forward Netani Talei and Georgian number eight Dimitri Basilaia, who is on the bench. Bradley said: "We are delighted to welcome the timely return of these four players from injury, all of whom have the potential to make a significant contribution to our Heineken Cup and RaboDirect PRO12 campaigns at a crucial period in the season. "It's important that they get up to speed as quickly as possible and put pressure on their peers for a place in the playing squad in some massive games coming up in the next two months. "All of these players are straining at the leash, are desperate to get a win for Edinburgh and to put in a performance worthy of re-selection." Racing include former Bath fly-half Olly Barkley in their starting XV against last season's Heineken Cup semi-finalists, with a powerful replacements' bench featuring Juan Martin Hernandez and Fabrice Estebanez. Source : http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/15182/8330026/Edinburgh-welcome-back-key-players-for-Friday-s-Heineken-Cup-clash-with-Racing-Metro
The hosts have yet to score a try in Europe this season and are desperate to hit back against the French team hunting top-spot if they win.
Edinburgh coach Michael Bradley has made eight changes, including a return for fit-again centre Ben Cairns, who has not played since suffering a knee injury 15 months ago.
Cairns' fellow centre Ben Atiga is also back from injury, along with Fijian
back-row forward Netani Talei and Georgian number eight Dimitri Basilaia, who is on the bench.
Bradley said: "We are delighted to welcome the timely return of these four players from injury, all of whom have the potential to make a significant contribution to our Heineken Cup and RaboDirect PRO12 campaigns at a crucial period in the season.
"It's important that they get up to speed as quickly as possible and put pressure on their peers for a place in the playing squad in some massive games coming up in the next two months.
"All of these players are straining at the leash, are desperate to get a win for Edinburgh and to put in a performance worthy of re-selection."
Racing include former Bath fly-half Olly Barkley in their starting XV against last season's Heineken Cup semi-finalists, with a powerful replacements' bench featuring Juan Martin Hernandez and Fabrice Estebanez. Source : http://www1.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/15182/8330026/Edinburgh-welcome-back-key-players-for-Friday-s-Heineken-Cup-clash-with-Racing-Metro
