Edinburgh Rugby rocked by injury as star back out for up to 5 months

The Argentine international has been hampered by a nerve issue in his back for some time now and underwent a procedure in the summer in the hope that he would be fit for the start of the new season after missing most of the previous campaign.

He played the first half of the friendly against Gloucester on September 13 and was named on the bench for Edinburgh’s first URC game against Leinster a week later but was forced to withdraw before the match.

The full-back/winger has since seen specialists and the initial prognosis is that he is unlikely to return to play in the immediate future.

“I don't have any news on Emiliano except that it's the same injury that he picked up last season,” said Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh coach. “He's going to have to undergo a surgical opinion from surgeons and see what the next step is on his way back to recovery.”

Asked how long he might be out, Everitt added: “It's definitely not a couple of weeks. We're looking at probably four to five months here.”

Boffelli, 29, played just seven times for Edinburgh last season after returning from the Rugby World Cup in France where he helped Argentina reach the semi-finals. Widely regarded as one of the best back-three players in the world, he played key roles in famous Argentina wins over New Zealand in Christchurch and England at Twickenham. He has been with Edinburgh since summer 2021 and his current deal runs out at the end of the season.

Edinburgh are in South Africa and will play the Emirates Lions on Saturday in round three of the URC. They are still seeking their first win of the season after defeats by Leinster and the Bulls.

They have made four changes for the game in Johannesburg, two of them injury enforced. David Cherry, their international hooker, is out with an ankle injury he sustained against the Bulls and is replaced by Ewan Ashman. Patrick Harrison provides cover on the bench. Mark Bennett is missing with a quad injury and his place at outside centre is taken by Ross McCann. “Unfortunately, he's got quite a big tear in his quad,” Everitt said of Bennett. “So he'll be out for several weeks.”

Mosese Tuipulotu, who missed the Bulls game with a hamstring strain, is fit again and included among the replacements but there is no place for fellow centre Matt Currie who also hurt his hamstring in the season opener against Leinster.

“Matt has progressed well,” added Everitt. “For us to have played him this weekend would have been a risk. Next week he'll be up for selection at 100 per cent fit and that's what we want within our group.”

The other changes are at half-back where Ben Vellacott and Ben Healy start in place of Ali Price and Ross Thompson who are both on the bench.

Edinburgh (v Emirates Lions, Emirates Airlink Park, Saturday, 12.45 UK): 15. W Goosen; 14. D Graham, 13. R McCann, 12. M Scott, 11. D van der Merwe; 10. B Healy, 9. B Vellacott (cc); 1. P Schoeman, 2. E Ashman, 3. P Hill, 4. M Sykes, 5. G Gilchrist (cc), 6. J Ritchie, 7. H Watson, 8. M Bradbury. Replacements: 16. P Harrison, 17. B Venter, 18. D Rae, 19. J Hodgson, 20. B Muncaster, 21. A Price, 22. R Thompson, 23. M Tuipulotu.