Freddy Douglas is back at openside as Edinburgh Rugby make three changes for their BKT United Rugby Championship trip to Benetton, with the visitors looking to protect a perfect start and keep their five-from-five record intact.
Edinburgh head to Stadio Monigo on 31 October, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm GMT, 4pm local time. They go into the contest top of the competition, but Sean Everitt has already made clear that this will not be a straightforward assignment in Treviso.
Everitt said Treviso is never an easy place to go, describing Benetton as a proud side who will be determined to finish the opening block with a home win. He said Edinburgh can expect the Italian side to throw everything at them.
Douglas returns after concussion absence
The biggest team-news development is the return of Freddy Douglas after he completed return to play protocols. The 21-year-old missed last week’s bonus-point win over the 10bet Lions with concussion, but he is now back in the starting XV.
Douglas has already shown his value to Edinburgh this season, with eight turnovers in the URC so far. That kind of disruption at the breakdown has become a useful feature of Edinburgh’s game, especially in tight away fixtures where momentum can swing quickly.
His return also gives Edinburgh a timely boost in a squad that has had to manage Scotland call-ups as well as injury recovery. Pierre Schoeman and Ewan Ashman have been retained by Scotland ahead of the Nations Championship, while Duhan van der Merwe has been released back to the club.
Edinburgh want a strong finish to the opening block
The broader challenge for Edinburgh is to sign off the opening block on a high. Everitt said the group is just as hungry to finish strongly and insisted that the players know they will need to stay switched on for the full 80 minutes.
That is the message that matters most here. Edinburgh have already built momentum, but away trips in the URC tend to punish any drop in concentration, particularly against a side like Benetton that will sense an opportunity on home soil.
Benetton have been on the wrong end of some tight results this season, which adds another layer to the contest. Everitt expects a response, and Edinburgh will need the composure that has carried them to the top of the table so far.
If they can match the intensity of the occasion and keep Douglas involved at the breakdown, Edinburgh will have every reason to believe they can extend their perfect start.
