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The 9 players leaving Edinburgh confirmed

Former Glasgow and Edinburgh backrow John Barclay. (Photo by Ashley Western/MB Media/Getty Images)

Edinburgh Rugby have confirmed that nine members of the squad will leave the club at the end of the 2019-20 season. Centre Matt Scott – whose departure to join Leicester Tigers was confirmed yesterday – has featured in 20 games in two years since returning to the capital from Gloucester in 2018, and will make the move to Welford road at the end of the season.

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Fellow internationalist John Barclaywhose departure was confirmed by Head Coach Richard Cockerill last week – joins Scott in leaving at the end of his current contract. The back-row has so far made 14 appearances in two seasons at BT Murrayfield, scoring one try in that period.

Club centurion Dougie Fife is another who moves on at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season. The back-three specialist – who returned to Edinburgh in 2017 following a season with Scotland Sevens – has so far earned 125 caps for the capital side.

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Stand-off Simon Hickey leaves following two seasons in Edinburgh. The New Zealander – who joined the club from Bordeaux-Bègles in 2018 – has so far scored 186 points in 34 games in the No. 10 jersey.

Hooker Cammy Fenton is another who departs the club at the end of his current deal. Fenton – who signed with capital team in 2017 – has so far made 19 appearances during his three seasons at BT Murrayfield.

Second-row duo Stan South and Sam Thomson also leave at the end of the current campaign.

South – who joined the club on a short-term loan in February – returns to Exeter Chiefs having so far made one appearance. Thomson moves on having so far made eight appearances for the capital club.

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Stand-off Jason Baggott is another who departs at the end of his current deal, with the South African having made four appearances from the bench during his spell with the club.

Finally, with his departure to French club Brive confirmed in March, Italian international prop Pietro Ceccarelli also leaves at the end of 2019-20. Ceccarelli has so far made 24 appearances in two seasons at BT Murrayfield.

On the players’ departure, Head Coach Richard Cockerill, said: “This period of the season is never easy for players – even more so in these unusual times – but all move on with our upmost respect for their hard work and commitment during their time at Edinburgh.

“These guys all leave having given their all to the club and that’s all we can ever ask. It’s been a pleasure to coach them and we thank them for their professionalism and attitude.

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“We wish all our leavers the best of luck in their future ambitions.”

Edinburgh Rugby 2019-20 leavers

Matt Scott – 39 Scotland caps; 94 appearances; 21 tries

John Barclay – 76 Scotland caps; 14 appearances; 1 try

Dougie Fife – 8 Scotland caps; 125 appearances; 27 tries

Simon Hickey – 34 appearances; 186 points

Cammy Fenton – 19 appearances; 4 tries

Pietro Ceccarelli – 24 appearances

Jason Baggott – 4 appearances; 2 points

Sam Thomson – 8 appearances

Stan South – 1 appearance

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G
GrahamVF 1 hour ago
Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.


"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"


After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

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