Sean Everitt urges Edinburgh to make most of opportunity to reach European final

Sean Everitt has called on Edinburgh to seize a rare opportunity as they bid to stun high-flying Bath and reach a first European final for a decade.

The two sides meet in a sold-out EPCR Challenge Cup semi-final in the Scottish capital, with a place in the Cardiff showpiece later this month at stake.

Edinburgh head coach Everitt is relishing one of the biggest matches of his career.

“They’re all aware of the magnitude of the game, there’s no motivation needed when you get to the semi-final,” said the 55-year-old South African.

“Everyone wants to win and win trophies and win big competitions. When I came in, we had one-on-one introductory meetings with the players, and it was something that they were all wanting to achieve.

“They’ve got an opportunity now this weekend to get into a final, to get what they’ve been wanting, so it’s a massive game for them. These opportunities don’t come around that often so you’ve got to make the most of it.

“I’ve been involved in semi-finals in Super Rugby and obviously Currie Cup finals, but this is definitely up there with the biggest.

“To be in a European final, regardless of whether it’s the Champions Cup or Challenge Cup, is massive for any franchise. We’ve got an opportunity to win and that’s why we’re in this business as professional sportsmen and coaches.”

Edinburgh have struggled for consistency in the United Rugby Championship this term, but Everitt believes his side have enough quality and experience to stand up to the runaway Gallagher Premiership leaders.

Adding to the intrigue, Bath’s talismanic Scotland stand-off Finn Russell will play his first club match in his homeland since leaving Glasgow in 2018.

“It’s a massive task for us,” said Everitt. “We know that Bath are the form team in the Prem by some way. They put to bed a lot of the good teams in the Premiership. It is a big task for us.

“But at the same time, we’ve got experienced players within our group and international players too, so we’re not daunted by the task ahead of us. It’s just going to be a great challenge to measure ourselves with the best in England.”

Everitt has restored Scotland forwards Ewan Ashman, Pierre Schoeman, Grant Gilchrist and Jamie Ritchie to his starting XV after last weekend’s draw away to Zebre. Although without hooker Dave Cherry and wing Duhan van der Merwe to injury, the head coach is heartened by the strength of the team he has been able to select.

“There are leaders and leaders in this group,” he said. “And the more leaders we have in a pressure situation, the better it is for us.”