Edinburgh may be the Forrest Gump of United Rugby Championship teams – like a box of chocolates, you never quite know what you’re going to get, week to week or even year to year. Last season’s disappointing 12th place came off the back of a play-off spot in 2024-25, and there’s a long-standing feeling that a team with no shortage of talent is failing to deliver on its potential.

So how will they get on when their season kicks off on Friday 25 September? Below  assesses their chances, and you’ll also be able to read our verdict on every URC and Gallagher PREM team before the two leagues get underway.

Take your pick from any of the last ten seasons, then cut and paste. It’s that maddeningly simple with a team who never fail to show us glimpses of a lustrous future but are yet to work out how to bring it all together on a consistent basis.

After years of unfulfilled promise, something has to give. First in the firing line was a host of assistant coaches and support staff, with head coach Sean Everitt allowed to overhaul the structure around him.

Last year’s 12th position was an affront to the level of talent and experience within the capital ranks, even if we did see the emergence of highly talented young thrusters such as Liam McConnell, Freddy Douglas and Ollie Blyth-Lafferty.

Hopes are high that arrivals Riley Higgins and James Grayson can ignite a midfield that has long struggled for invention, albeit the Hive faithful must wait a while for a sighting of the Kiwi centre, who has a shoulder injury.

Key player

It’s perhaps unfair to instantly load such a burden of expectation on Grayson’s shoulders, but Edinburgh are desperate for someone to grab the keys to No 10 and help provide the ammo for a stacked back three.

Grayson has the instincts and playmaking abilities to effect a real change in how Edinburgh attack.

Edinburgh need new arrival James Grayson to make his mark in the No 10 shirt this season (Mark Scates/SNS Group via Getty Images)

One to watch

Another half-back recruit, Louie Chapman, is set to bring fresh verve and tempo to the No 9 shirt. A standout in New Zealand’s NPC, he was highly rated by Crusaders but elected to come north – he’s Scottish-qualified.

Hector Patterson, only 21, should give him a run for his money.

Coaches’ box

Much is expected from Tim Sampson, the new attack coach recruited from Fijian Drua, while the highly experienced Brad Davis will now oversee the defence.

Stevie Lawrie (forwards) is retained to provide a degree of continuity, but Michael Todd, Scott Mathie and Rob Chrystie have moved on, in addition to S&C lead Mark Robertson and medical staff.

If they can reignite the finishing power of Duhan van der Merwe and give Darcy Graham a reason to believe, Edinburgh should make the play-offs. Sixth spot.

150-1

Vital statistic

Edinburgh notched only 38 points in last year’s URC, compared to 49 in each of Sean Everitt’s first two campaigns.

Former New Zealand U20 centre Riley Higgins travels north of the equator to join Edinburgh from the Hurricanes (Mark Scates/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Edinburgh signings

• James Grayson (Mitsubishi Sagimahara DynaBoars)
• Kienan Higgins (New England Free Jacks)

Edinburgh d

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