EDINBURGH EVENIG NEWS REPORTS



Published Date: 27 January 2009
By BILL LOTHIAN
EDINBURGH RUGBY have received strong backing for their interest in signing Glasgow Warriors back rower Stevie Swindall.
Scotland A internationalist Swindall, who has made only one start this season for the Firhill-based side, has been linked with a move along the M8, especially after guesting for Edinburgh's back-up team in the win over Scotland under-20s last week.



Peter Wright, director of rugby at Glasgow Hawks, who occasionally fielded 26-year-old Swindall under the draft system designed to give professionals game-time at premiership level, said a permanent switch could suit all parties.

"Stevie is a talented boy who doesn't get any game time. He is obviously out of favour at Glasgow where there are seven or eight back row guys available.

"He is down the pecking order and when we have (only] two professional teams in Scotland there are a lot of others doing nothing week in, week out. When he has been released to Hawks, Stevie has been a positive player for us.

"He comes in with the right attitude and buys into what we are trying to do. Stevie could do a job for Edinburgh particularly with his ball carrying and ability to run through people."

While Edinburgh refuse to comment on the possibility of a move for a player attached to another club (in this case contracts are held by Scottish Rugby who also own Glasgow) speculation about the Whitecraigs club-reared Swindall has hardened because of injuries sustained in the back row, notably Dave Callam, Ross Rennie and Matt Mustchin with Alan MacDonald only just returning.

Wright, a former British Lions prop out of the Boroughmuir club in 1993, said of the 6ft 4in and 17st 6lb Swindall who has made 50 league and 12 European Cup appearances: "The disappointing thing for me is he is on the sidelines more weeks than he is on the pitch."

This article was posted on 28-Jan-2009, 12:56 by Hugh Barrow.