Darcy Graham returns to rugby after eight months out in major boost for Edinburgh and Scotland

In what is good news for club and country, the prolific Graham will return to action at Hive Stadium. The 39-times capped international missed the 2024 Six Nations, Scotland’s summer tour and most of last season’s domestic campaign due to a succession of injuries.

His last match was on January 13 when he started for Edinburgh against Gloucester in a Challenge Cup defeat at the Hive. He will make his comeback against the same opponents in the same stadium as Edinburgh play their first and only pre-season match before the United Rugby Championship campaign begins for them at home to Leinster on September 20.

Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh head coach, has selected two separate startings XVs for each half. Graham will play the first 40 minutes against the English visitors and will be joined in the starting side by new signings Magnus Bradbury, Paul Hill, Ross Thompson, Matt Scott and Mosese Tuipulotu, the latter two forming the centre partnership.

Edinburgh’s sixth new arrival, Ross McCann, has been selected to start on the wing in the second half. There is also a welcome return for Emiliano Boffelli who will play at full-back after the interval. The Argentina international has not played since April and underwent surgery in the summer to cure a nerve problem in his back.

“This is a good opportunity for us to see our players in a game day situation, having put in a huge amount of work during the off-season,” said Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh head coach. “There are two 15s, however we don’t view it as a first or second team, more as a chance to see different combinations around the park, and see what we’ve worked on in pre-season in action.”

Pro-academy player Lewis Wells has been picked to start on the wing for the second half against Gloucester.

Edinburgh (v Gloucester, Scottish Building Society Pre-season match at Hive Stadium, Friday, 7.30pm):

First half XV: 15. Wes Goosen; 14. Darcy Graham, 13. Mosese Tuipulotu, 12. Matt Scott, 11. Duhan van der Merwe; 10. Ross Thompson, 9. Ben Vellacott; 1. Pierre Schoeman, 2. Ewan Ashman, 3. Paul Hill, 4. Marshall Sykes, 5. Grant Gilchrist, 6. Jamie Ritchie, 7. Hamish Watson, 8. Magnus Bradbury.

Second half XV: 15. Emiliano Boffelli; 14. Ross McCann, 13. Mark Bennett, 12. Matt Currie, 11. Lewis Wells; 10. Ben Healy, 9. Ali Price; 1. Boan Venter, 2. Dave Cherry, 3. D’Arcy Rae, 4. Rob Carmichael, 5. Jamie Hodgson, 6. Tom Dodd, 7. Connor Boyle, 8. Ben Muncaster.