URC
Edinburgh 2020/21 leavers confirmed
Edinburgh Rugby today confirmed ten senior players will leave the club at the end of the season.
The leavers join the five players who departed the club earlier this year, as Head Coach Richard Cockerill and his coaching team continue their preparations for the new campaign.
Scotland international prop Murray McCallum departs the club following five years in the Scottish capital. The former Dunfermline RFC and Strathallan School prop – who made his Edinburgh Rugby debut in 2016 – has made 63 appearances, scoring four tries, since graduating from the FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy.
Fijian winger Eroni Sau will also leave the club following the conclusion of the 2020/21 season. Sau joined Edinburgh Rugby in 2019 and scored six tries in 26 appearances.
Jamie Farndale leaves the club to pursue the Olympic dream with GB Rugby Sevens. The winger – who initially made his Edinburgh Rugby debut in 2012 – re-joined his hometown team from the Sevens programme in 2019 and has scored four tries in 15 appearances.
Having joined the club on a short-term deal in 2020, Andries Ferreira will also move on at the end of the season. The South African lock has made nine appearances since making the move from Blue Bulls.
Scrum-half Dan Nutton will also depart Edinburgh Rugby following the conclusion of the current campaign. Nutton – who penned a short-term deal earlier this year – leaves having made two appearances for his hometown team.
With his move to Glasgow Warriors announced earlier this year, Scotland international prop Simon Berghan moves on, having made 90 appearances in seven years in the Scottish capital. Berghan – capped 31 times for Scotland – joined the club in 2014 and made his debut against Cardiff Blues that same season.
Ally Miller will join Berghan at Scotstoun next season and leaves the club having made 24 appearances. The back-row initially joined the club in 2017 having graduated from the FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy.
Scotland international winger Duhan van der Merwe – who played his final game for the club against Ulster last weekend – makes the move to Worcester Warriors this summer and leaves the Scottish capital having scored 32 tries in 67 appearances.
Mike Willemse will join Van der Merwe in the English Premiership next season as he joins London Irish. The South African hooker joined the club in 2019 and has made 39 appearances in a two-year spell.
Andrew Davidson – whose move to Gloucester was also confirmed earlier this year – leaves the Scottish capital having made 13 appearances since joining from Glasgow Warriors in 2020.
On the departing players, Head Coach Richard Cockerill, said: “We’d like to thank all of our leavers for their hard work and commitment to the club during the course of their Edinburgh Rugby careers.
“Every player leaves having worn the jersey with pride and that’s all we can ever ask. It’s been a pleasure to coach them and we wish them the very best in their future ambitions.”
2020/21 Leavers (appearances in brackets)
Murray McCallum (63)
Eroni Sau (26)
Jamie Farndale (15)
Andries Ferreira (9)
Duhan van der Merwe (67)
Mike Willemse (39)
Simon Berghan (90)
Ally Miller (24)
Dan Nutton (2)
Andrew Davidson (13)
Departed/retired earlier this season
Nic Groom (22)
Rory Darge (1)
Korie Winters (0)
Fraser Mackenzie (119)
Matt Gordon (1)
The Munster squad are preparing at the HPC ahead of Saturday night’s URC Round 13 clash against Cardiff at Thomond Park.
The game kicks off at 7.35pm with tickets from €20 available here.
In player news, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Peter O’Mahony have all returned to the HPC after helping Ireland to the 6 Nations title.
On the injury front, Academy back-row forward Ruadhán Quinn suffered a hand injury against Ospreys on Friday night and will be sidelined for a number of weeks.
Oli Jager and Fineen Wycherley have started their rehab following minor procedures for respective knee injuries.
Alex Nankivell is completing the RTP protocols and his availability will be determined later this week.
Simon Zebo was unavailable for the Ospreys game due to a low-grade hip injury and is due to return to training this week.
Continuing to rehab: Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Diarmuid Barron (foot), Roman Salanoa (knee), Jean Kleyn (knee/eye), Paddy Patterson (knee), Liam Coombes (shoulder), Patrick Campbell (shoulder).
There were 15 Munster players in AIL action at the weekend.
In Division 1A, Fionn Gibbons and Chris Moore helped Young Munster beat Dublin University with Gibbons among the tries.
Mark Donnelly lined out for Cork Constitution as they were beaten by Terenure College.
Kieran Ryan, Darragh McSweeney and Daniel Okeke couldn’t prevent Shannon falling to a defeat to City of Armagh.
In Division 1B, Colm Hogan, Jack Oliver, George Hadden, Max Clein, Cian Hurley and Jack Daly helped Garryowen to a win over Queen’s University. Hogan, Clein and Cronin were among the tries with Oliver kicking a conversion.
Scott Buckley and Andrew O’Mahony were in action for UCC as they lost to St Mary’s College.
Tickets
URC Round 13: Saturday, March 30
Munster v Cardiff Rugby, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
Women’s 6 Nations Round 3: Saturday, April 13
Ireland v Wales, Virgin Media Park, 4.45pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 16: Saturday, May 11
Munster v Connacht, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Saturday, June 1
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
The Munster squad are continuing preparations ahead of Friday night’s URC Round 12 clash against Ospreys in Swansea (7.35pm).
On the injury front, there is good news for John Hodnett (finger), Jack O’Donoghue (knee) and Simon Zebo (knee) as they all return to training this week.
Oli Jager (knee) and Fineen Wycherley (knee) are both due to see specialists this week for possible surgery.
Alex Nankivell is following the return to play protocols following a head injury in training last week.
On the international front, Craig Casey and Jeremy Loughman have returned to the squad after Ireland’s 6 Nations triumph at the weekend.
Continuing to rehab: Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Diarmuid Barron (foot), Roman Salanoa (knee), Jean Kleyn (knee/eye), Paddy Patterson (knee), Liam Coombes (shoulder), Patrick Campbell (shoulder).
Tickets
URC Round 13: Saturday, March 30
Munster v Cardiff Rugby, Thomond Park, 7.35pm; Buy tickets here
Women’s 6 Nations Round 3: Saturday, April 13
Ireland v Wales, Virgin Media Park, 4.45pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 16: Saturday, May 11
Munster v Connacht, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
URC Round 18: Saturday, June 1
Munster v Ulster, Thomond Park, 5.15pm; Buy tickets here
Images & Content from Munster Rugby
Sutherland to join Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow Warriors can confirm that Scotland prop Rory Sutherland will join the club this summer.
The British and Irish Lion joins the Scotstoun-outfit from French side Oyonnax, making the move to Scotstoun on a two-year deal as Franco Smith’s squad continues to take shape.
The confirmation of the loose-head prop’s move to Glasgow also comes on the eve of his involvement in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin, where he is in contention to win his 30th cap for Scotland, part of the match day squad.
The 31-year-old Sutherland will bring a dynamic ball-carrying presence to the Warriors in addition to a solid platform at the set-piece.
After making his debut for Edinburgh in 2014, the prop went on to make 91 appearances in the capital before a summer switch to Worcester Warriors in 2021.
A short-term stint with Ulster followed after Worcester’s demise in 2022, running out on 12 occasions for the Irish province.
Sutherland’s form for Scotland across the 2020 and 2021 campaigns saw him selected for the 2021 British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa, joining future Glasgow team-mate Zander Fagerson amongst the front-row options.
He became the first Scottish prop to represent the invitational squad since the late Tom Smith when selected for the first Test, playing just under an hour in the 22-17 victory over the Springboks.
Sutherland said: “The past couple of years have been tough since I had to leave Worcester. I’ve been at a few clubs and I haven’t had the consistency I’d have liked in my game. This move to Glasgow, and back to Scotland, offers me the chance to work on getting that back into my rugby.
“Glasgow is a really successful team, so to be offered the chance to come to Scotstoun is attractive for any player. For me, it allows me to come back home, and be closer to my family, which will work wonders for me.
“I’ve gotten close to some of the Glasgow players while in camp with Scotland and they talk highly of Franco and the culture in the club. I’m looking forward to that and getting back to the homeland!”
Head Coach Smith added: “We are pleased to be able to add a prop of Rory’s calibre to our squad ahead of next season.
“His qualities will make him a real asset to our playing group, as we continue to develop our strength in every position.
“We look forward to seeing him in action at Scotstoun over the next couple of seasons and we know that the Warrior Nation will welcome him to our club.”
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