EDINBURGH have confirmed that all their remaining home games this season will be played at Murrayfield – but have still to announce what is now widely believed, that they have played at Myreside for the last time and will not return to the Watsonians ground next season.
It was known by the time Richard Cockerill’s side beat Leinster at Myreside 10 days ago that there was a strong possibility they would not be back at the venue and were instead hoping to build a 7,000-seat mini-stadium within the grounds of Murrayfield. The hosting agreement at Myreside between George Watson’s College and Edinburgh still has two years to run, but there is a break clause in the contract which will make ending it relatively simple. However, things have yet to reach the stage where the team, wholly owned by Scottish Rugby, feel able to announce where they will play their home games in the coming two seasons.
“Edinburgh will play the remainder of the 2017/18 season at BT Murrayfield as the team eyes a crucial finish to both the Guinness PRO14 and the European Challenge Cup,” a statement on the team’s website read. “Edinburgh will also welcome Cardiff Blues to the capital on Saturday 31 March for the European quarter-final showdown.
“The club recognises that alternating between venues does not deliver a consistent matchday experience for supporters, nor does it provide consistency for Richard Cockerill’s squad in generating successful results on the pitch.”
“The move is part of a wider review of venue operations beyond the end of the current season. Supporters will be the first to be informed of further developments when the club is able to communicate them.”
Edinburgh’s next home match is against Munster on Friday 2 March, and the next is the Challenge Cup quarter-final against Cardiff Bues on Saturday 31st March. Their last three scheduled league games of the season are all at home: against Ulster, Scarlets and Glasgow.
The Ulster game is on Friday 6th and kicks off at 7.35pm. The match against Scarlets is likely to be played on Friday 13th at the same time, but that has yet to be confirmed by PRO14, while the Warriors game will definitely take place on Saturday 28th. Although the kick-off time for the 1872 Cup decider has yet to be announced, with the BT Cup finals being held at Murrayfield that day, too, it is likely to be in the evening.
Edinburgh players will not be distracted by contract negotiations, insists captain McKenzie