Bizarre setback fuels Dave Cherry’s fight to reclaim jersey

Edinburgh hooker Dave Cherry insists he has not given up hope of a possible Scotland recall despite not featuring for the national team since being forced home from last year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

Cherry, who turns 34 on 3 January, won the last of his 11 caps as a replacement against South Africa in Marseille on 10 September 2023.

But days later he suffered a concussion after hitting his head during “an accident in the team hotel” on a day off when he slipped on some stairs.

Cherry was forced to leave Scotland’s base in Nice to return home and has been omitted by head coach Gregor Townsend for three subsequent squads.

With George Turner in international exile after leaving Glasgow for Japanese side Kobe Steelers this season, Cherry’s Edinburgh team-mate Ewan Ashman established himself as first choice during the Autumn Nations Series, starting three of Scotland’s four Tests.

Another club-mate, Patrick Harrison, started the other against Portugal, having made a good impression on the summer tour of the Americas, along with Sharks hooker Dylan Richardson – who won three further caps last month – and Northampton hooker Robbie Smith.

Glasgow duo Johnny Matthews and Gregor Hiddleston are also pushing hard for a place in Scotland’s forthcoming Six Nations squad, but Cherry is not writing himself off just yet despite the increasing competition from younger alternatives.

“Not at all,” he said after making just his third start of the season for Edinburgh, and first since late September, in their 10-7 URC win over champions Glasgow at Murrayfield.

“I want to make it clear I am still going and still available. My desire to get back in and play for Scotland is still there.

“Gregor [Townsend] basically said just keep doing what you’re doing, and that’s about it. I’m just focused on myself and my own performance and trying to put my best foot forward and hopefully I get selected.”

Saturday was Cherry’s 100th appearance for Edinburgh, having joined his hometown club in 2018 following stints with London Scottish and Stade Niçois in France’s Pro2.

After an abject display of indisciplined, incoherent rugby in their first meeting with Glasgow at Hampden Park a week ago, the capital side emerged victorious from the rematch at Murrayfield with a far more energetic and disciplined performance.

But asked to put his finger on why Edinburgh – who have not won away since late April against Cardiff – can be so inconsistent from one week to the next, Cherry admitted he was at a loss.

“I have no idea,” he said. “If you’ve got the answer, come join the coaching team! I guess intent was the word [head coach] Sean [Everitt] spoke about this week. We showed more this week, we were clear in our roles and that led to a performance where we were sure of what we were doing.

“Clarity through the week led to intent in the game. It showed out there, it was far clearer what we were doing. Our defence was structured and I think that led to the win. We were able to control Glasgow better, not give them as many entries. I think that was the ultimate winning of the match.”

While victory returned Edinburgh to the top eight play-off places – three points off the top four – at the halfway stage of the URC season, Glasgow remain clear in second and on course for a home quarter-final, despite a 10-point deficit on runaway leaders Leinster.

While there was understandable frustration in the Warriors camp after going 7-3 up with a penalty try after 68 minutes only to concede the match-winning score to Pierre Schoeman a minute later, the champions have plenty to look forward to in 2025.

With the URC now on pause until 24 January and a week off with no games next weekend, Glasgow can focus on trying to progress again to the knockout stages of the European Champions Cup, having fallen to Harlequins in the round of 16 last season.

Warriors, who lie second in Pool 4, a point behind leaders Toulon, return to action with a home fixture against Racing 92 on 10 January before completing their group games with a trip to Quins a week later.

United Rugby Championship

P

W

L

D

PF

PA

PD

BP T

BP-7

BP

Total

1

Leinster

9

9

0

0

43

2

Glasgow

9

6

3

0

33

3

Cardiff Rugby

8

5

3

0

26

4

Bulls

7

5

2

0

25

5

Sharks

8

5

3

0

24

6

Benetton

9

4

4

1

23

7

Edinburgh

9

4

5

0

22

8

Ulster

9

4

5

0

22

9

Stormers

8

4

4

0

21

10

Munster

9

4

5

0

21

11

Lions

7

4

3

0

19

12

Scarlets

8

3

4

1

18

13

Connacht

9

3

6

0

18

14

Ospreys

8

3

5

0

15

15

Zebre

9

2

7

0

12

16

Dragons RFC

8

1

7

0

8

“It’s disappointing to end this year, for what it has been, with a game like this, but that will keep the hunger going for next year,” said captain Kyle Steyn, who made a successful return in the two Edinburgh games after nearly three months out with a stress fracture in his leg.

“I feel good and I’m looking forward to ripping into Europe. Those games are massive. We’ve got Racing at home and we’ve got to go down to Quins after losing narrowly down there last year. There are motivations aplenty and the way the first two rounds have gone, every game now is going to be important.”

After missing the autumn Tests, Steyn will also be looking to apply further pressure to established Scotland wings Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe and give Townsend a thorny dilemma for the Six Nations, which Scotland begin at home to Italy on 1 February.

“For sure,” Steyn added. “I missed out on Europe and these [1872 Cup] games last year so I’m really happy to be back with Glasgow and being able to contribute there. I’ll do everything to keep fighting as hard as I can.”