EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS REPORTS
Wright bids for Gunners post
BILL LOTHIAN.
BRITISH Lion Peter Wright has thrown his hat into the ring for the impending coaching vacancy at his former Edinburgh team, writes BILL LOTHIAN.

The 38-year-old former Boroughmuir and Scotland star admits he has applied to succeed Todd Blackadder, who will shortly be returning to New Zealand.

"I've let the SRU know I'm interested and, hopefully, an interview might follow," said 21-times-capped Wright.

Currently in charge of Scotland Under-19s, Wright says he is missing the challenge of weekly competition.

"I'm enjoying working with some outstanding young prospects but the downside is the lack of regular games. The equivalent of Friday night or Saturday matches are few and far between at age-group level and the situation is even worse this weekend.

"While Scotland take on Ireland in Dublin an under-19 match is missing from the build-up due to Ireland concentrating their resources on schools' level, which is disappointing for us.

"So it has proved to be a wrench giving up my coaching commitment to Glasgow Hawks at the end of last season."

During his stint in Glasgow, Wright harvested two BT Premierships and emerged as one of the outstanding coaches of his generation.

His knowledge has also been ploughed back to the game as a development officer and, having now moved from the Dumfries area to near Edinburgh, Wright hopes to make a further contribution to the Capital outfit he represented when they were known as Reivers. He was also a British Lion in New Zealand in 1993 before a knee injury prompted his early retirement.

"I've always felt an affinity for Edinburgh," he added.

If Wright does get the nod he will bring current experience of global standards at age-group level, having been placed in charge of the Scotland side that will head for Dubai this Spring to contest the Under-19 World Cup.

Blackadder is set to return to his homeland to take a coaching post there at the end of the current season.

This article was posted on 8-Mar-2006, 12:29 by Hugh Barrow.