Few teams across the URC - if any - can rival Edinburgh’s star power across their back three as Wes Goosen can testify.
The capital club have assembled a supremely talented collection of players at wing and at full-back. Duhan van der Merwe is widely regarded as one of the best wingers in rugby with Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt recently dubbing him ‘world-class’.
Everitt also claimed that Blair Kinghorn could become ‘one of the best full-backs in the world’, but face a fight to keep the 26-year-old with French giants Toulon interested.
Wing Darcie Graham is challenging club teammate Van der Merwe to overtake Stuart Hogg as Scotland’s all-time top try scorer while Emiliano Boffelli excelled at the World Cup with Argentina.
With Graham and Boffelli currently injured, Goosen has impressed in their absence while Jacob Henry and Nathan Sweeney provide further depth.
“It’s world class,” Goosen admitted of Edinburgh's back-three options. “It’s nice to compete with international players like Duhi and Darcy and Boffelli as well. You compete, you learn and it’s fun.
“We’re spoiled for choice and as Blair showed at the weekend with those little touches, he can definitely be one of the best full-backs coming through. Darcy and Duhan have proved themselves, Boffelli had an amazing World Cup, so it’s a privilege to be able to play with those kinds of guys and just to compete against them - I enjoy that side to show how I can grow my game.
“Definitely,” Goosen replied when asked if the competition pushes him to perform. “Everyone knows that if you don’t play well, the next person will come through and try to take your position. It’s healthy competition and brings the best out of everyone.”
There’s an undeniable confidence that Edinburgh can deliver on their potential under Sean Everitt’s stewardship. While possessing international quality throughout their squad, Edinburgh have unperformed in recent seasons but they’ve made a positive start to their URC campaign.
Opening wins against the Dragons and the Lions before a disappointing defeat away to Leinster last weekend, but Goosen remains laser-focused on the objective this season.
“Definitely to get into the play-offs,” he declared. If we’re not making the play-offs, we’re not having any kind of goals. Not just the play-offs, but obviously go deep into the play-offs, With the team we have . . . . I don’t want to say if. When we make it, I think we’ll have a good shot this year.”
“Sean has brought over a different style, it’s a good style, and it’s bringing us confidence in our game and the reassurance that we have a good squad and we should just back ourselves and play as a team.”
Edinburgh face a tough test on Saturday evening when they welcome Connacht to the capital. The Irish side are the only unbeaten team in the URC and they put Glasgow to the sword a fortnight ago.
Connacht beat Edinburgh 45-19 at the Hive Stadium in pre-season and Goosen is under no illusions about the threat they pose.
“They’re tough - very competitive and they just scrap for everything.” Goosen added. “They give it their all. Those are the games that you like to play. You want to beat the Irish, I guess - certainly you do when you come from New Zealand.”
“They had a good pre-season - everyone has been there together the whole time and gone through that period together. When we played them here in that pre-season game it was a full 80-minute team that they showed us.
“We came out for the first 40 and they came out for the second 40 and really showed out. So we know it’s going to be a tough game. We know what they bring - they bring a lot of phases - so we’ve just got to stay in there and go for the full 80.”
Goosen joined Edinburgh from the Hurricanes last summer but injury disrupted his debut season. The South African born winger has now returned to full fitness and he’s determined to show his true worth amongst a ‘ridiculously’ talented squad.
“I’m really enjoying it - loving just playing rugby again, to be honest, after the pretty average year last year with the injuries,” he admitted. “But yeah, I’m loving playing for Edinburgh. I feel like it’s slowly coming back. I think it was about eight or nine months since I last played, so it was a bit of time.
“Happy, but there’s still more to give and another level that I want to get to. The players we’ve got coming in are very highly respected who add a lot to our team. Once it clicks I think it will take off. The roster that we have is just ridiculous, so once it fully clicks I think we’ll be away.”
