PACY prop Geoff Cross today vowed that innovative and enterprising Edinburgh would keep pushing back the normal rugby boundaries to try to ensure a season of Celtic League glory, starting tonight against Munster at Murrayfield.
There is a widespread acceptance that, although friendly victories over Wasps and Bath were highly acceptable, they don't automatically guarantee success when competition gets under way for real, but, equally, there is a genuine feel-good factor arou
nd the Capital scene.
And at the heart of the optimism is to be found 25-year-old Cross, whose extraordinary dynamism for a front rower, which helped him to a try from 40 yards out against Wasps, did most to whet the appetite – providing the balance is struck between nitty-gritty chores and playing with an impressive free spirit.
The good news is that nobody is more aware of what needs to be done now than Cross who, in order to look forward, cast an eye over where Edinburgh have come from this season.
"If I had a choice to make between helping the team gain a scrum heel against the head or running in a try from 40 yards as I did against Wasps I'd take the former because that is my job," he says.
"The try was a fantastic novelty but I'm not sure if it will ever happen again."
In those remarks Cross demonstrates a healthy realism and willingness not to get carried away while at the same time recognising the need to play off the cuff. According to the qualified doctor, that is more likely to happen if everyone continues to be aware of what is required of them and is happy in their tasks.
"It's a balance," he continued. "In some ways props can't win because there will always be people who say we should be concentrating on scrummaging more than running around in the loose. The main thing is to come off not having left anything on the pitch."
The fact that Edinburgh are producing players throughout their ranks who can score from long range – lock Ben Gissing thundered through from far out against Llanelli at the end of last season – must be a positive, though, as Cross acknowledges.
He said: "The way we want to play is how we are coached which is to have fun.
"However, to do that a lot of people have to have had a role because where off-field conditioning work is important is that when you are knackered – as you surely will be – you are still able to pick yourself up and get back into the play quicker than the opposition.
"So, when I scored my try against Wasps it was the culmination of a lot of guys knocking their pans in.
"Data shows that most tries are scored from turnovers and for me to get the ball others had to secure it to allow a run.
"When I scored my try I was worried right up until the last second that I was about to be tackled from behind or the side."
If the margins are measured by Cross in split seconds, also raising confidence is the fact that a series of law changes appear to suit Edinburgh's style.
While stressing that "no medals are won pre-season" and "the acid test comes when people have to perform under pressure", Cross admitted: "I'm particularly keen on the change that keeps defenders five metres back at scrums.
"That's because, if a tight head prop like me can promote his side of the scrum, then extra space can be created for our backs and that's something I relish."
The message is that Edinburgh are working on creating an extra cutting edge but, for those expecting the ball to be thrown around from the start, Cross strikes a cautionary note.
"We have prepared very well but the challenge is that we are playing the Heineken European Cup champions, who have shown they can win at the highest level.
"As forwards we have to recognise that Munster's physicality must be matched although there is, of course, a lot more to them than that."
The bigger they come the hasrder they fall and, if Edinburgh can achieve at least parity, then Cross hinted that there might be a chance to add some gloss later on.
"Just because you are big and strong does not mean you are ponderous," he says, and if anybody should know it is Geoff Cross, who has proved before the season is officially under way that he can walk the walk as well as talk the talk.
Meanwhile, Munster will start with 12 of the players who defeated Toulouse in the last Euro final.
A further measure of what Edinburgh will be up against has been provided this week by reserve winger Anthony Horgan, who spoke about a new resolve to make more of an impact on domestic competition, having given absolute priority to European matters in the past.
In a thinly-veiled warning to Edinburgh, the long-serving stalwart said: "I think all the lads would admit that we haven't performed in the Magners League. While we always find our focus for the Cup, I think fellas found it hard to pick themselves up for the League games.
"The international players would be away and you find yourself travelling to low-key matches in Newport or Swansea or wherever. We have the Irish guys from the start this season and we're determined to do ourselves justice."
The full article contains 921 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
