Edinburgh have been hit with a serious injury blow as they head into the most challenging part of their season after it emerged that Viliame ‘Bill’ Mata, their Fijian No 8, has been ruled out of action for at least a month — and possibly much longer.
Mata lasted just 29 minutes of Edinburgh’s United Rugby Championship game against Benetton at the Dam Health Stadium on Friday before being forced off with a knee injury. He ended the evening on crutches, and while the full extent of the problem is not likely to be known until today, head coach Mike Blair admitted that the 30-year-old powerhouse has no chance of being fit in time for Saturday’s Challenge Cup trip to Saracens or the back-to-back derby matches against Glasgow over the festive period.
A statement on Mata’s condition is expected, but while his loss is unfortunate Blair suggested that the club’s resources are such that they can fill the gap he leaves. “It is a big blow for Bill himself and the club,” he said. “But it gives other guys a chance. We are pretty fortunate with the cover we have in the back row so we will give another player another opportunity to grasp that jersey.”
The likeliest candidate to do so would appear to be Magnus Bradbury, whose appearance against Benetton was his 100th for Edinburgh. Bradbury, 26, drifted out of the picture while Richard Cockerill was coaching the club but he appears to have been rejuvenated by playing the more open kind of game that Blair espouses.
Blair kept his cards close to his chest as far as selection for the Saracens game was concerned. He also stressed the importance of rotating his squad to keep more peripheral players involved. However, if Edinburgh are to have any sort of chance against Saracens then he will have no option but to send out his strongest side.
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He said: “You will have seen from some of my selections that I am keen to pass game time around as best I can. It is difficult because the games are not on during internationals now but I believe it is important to keep competition up by doing that. Maggie [Bradbury] has been excellent the last couple of weeks, but we will make a decision on that in the next 24 hours. We have some good choices and want to keep everybody engaged.
“Maggie is enjoying playing the game with tempo, getting the opportunity to get his hands on the ball. We have spoken about a few things in terms of his ball carrying, the evasion, not just that power. He has that bit of confidence in his game and from a conditioning point of view this is the best shape he has been in his career and [he is] getting better.”
The other major concern after the Benetton game centred on Blair Kinghorn, who went off for a head injury assessment after 70 minutes and did not return. Kinghorn has been used at fly half for much of this season, and while many believe he is better suited to the back-three role he has filled for most of his time with the capital club, Edinburgh will look worryingly light in the playmaking position without him.
On Kinghorn’s recovery, Blair said: “He is going through the protocols and we will see over the next couple of days. He has played really well in the last couple of games in that 10 jersey. With each game he gets a little bit more comfortable, so fingers crossed for him.”
Since they drew with DHL Stormers in early October, Edinburgh have put together a run of four straight wins that have moved them into second place in the URC table. However, playing away to Saracens, who are in the same position in the Gallagher Premiership, is an altogether taller order.
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“They have had a good start to the season,” Blair said. “They have a very large, physical team and backs with the X factor. They will be a real challenge, but it is a good gauge for us.”
•Edinburgh announced last night that Jordan Venter, the South African centre they signed straight out of school last December, has moved to Bath on a permanent deal without having made a single competitive appearance for the capital club.
