Al Dickinson return boosts Edinburgh before crunch match

By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Jan 2016, 00:00 BST
Al Dickinson has missed Edinburghs last six games with a calf injury. His return is timely with the Six Nations looming. Picture: SNSAl Dickinson has missed Edinburghs last six games with a calf injury. His return is timely with the Six Nations looming. Picture: SNS
Al Dickinson has missed Edinburghs last six games with a calf injury. His return is timely with the Six Nations looming. Picture: SNS
Scotland loosehead Al Dickinson is poised for a timely return to action tomorrow as Edinburgh field their strongest available team in their bid to reach the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup.

Alan Solomons’ squad travel to the skiing country of the French Alps today ahead of their clash with Grenoble and will be hoping to secure some apres pool stage action.

Edinburgh sit second in Pool 5 on 17 points, one behind tomorrow’s opponents, and know a win would guarantee them passage to the knockout stages of a tournament they reached the final of last season.

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Solomons is set to field a strong team, which will be named at noon today, with his international stars returning after a less experienced side dealt with basement boys Agen at BT Murrayfield last Friday.

It is expected that Dickinson, who has missed the last six games with a calf injury, will be back in good time to get some match practice ahead of the Six Nations, which start in a fortnight.

“I could have played last week if I wanted to push it but it’s good I could give it another week,” said the 33-year-old prop yesterday. “Getting old is not good. You have to look after your body but when you are off for a few weeks you are champing at the bit to get back.”

It will be the first time Dickinson has featured for Edinburgh since his new three-year contract was confirmed before Christmas. If he sees that through it will take him to six seasons in his second spell for the club, in addition to the three he had before departing for a four-year stint at Gloucester in 2007.

Dickinson, who made his 100th appearance for Edinburgh in the home match against Grenoble in November, said: “I could have stayed down south but I wanted to come back to what I see as my home club and it has been a good thing. Things are going well not just for me personally but for Scottish rugby in general, both at Edinburgh and with Scotland.”