Edinburgh Rugby Get Real For Critical Heineken Cup Encounter

Edinburgh Rugby head coach Michael Bradley today described this Friday’s Heineken Cup match against French Top 14 side Racing Metro as critical, as the club seek to build on last weekend’s opening Cup success over London Irish in Reading.The capital club returned in a buoyant mood, having launched their Cup campaign with an away win over the English Premiership side, however head coach Michael Bradley insists that the club and its players have taken a pragmatic approach to the challenges that lie in wait.Speaking at today’s press conference, where he named an extended 27-man squad, Bradley said: Obviously the boys are in good form because of the victory but were realistic. It’s a good start, it’s good for confidence, but we have a huge task in front of us in this group and it continues this Friday night.Edinburgh Rugby head coach Michael BradleyWeve set our stall out to win our home matches and, while it’s great that weve picked something up on the road, we have to do our business at Murrayfield this Friday night.The big-spending Parisian side finished second in the regular section of last season’s Top 14, one place behind 2010 Heineken Cup champions Toulouse, and can select from a host of big names, including cult French back-row S_bastien Chabal, famed for his hard-hitting, aggressive play and grizzly appearance; international centres Fabrice Estabanez (France) and Juan-Martin Hernandez (Argentina) and French Rugby World Cup finalist and lock Lionel Nallet.Racing Metro will be disappointed with their result last weekend against Cardiff so it’s as critical a match for them as it is for us; theyll be desperate to get their campaign up and running and we want to make the most of home advantage, added Bradley.Bradley is without back-row forward David Denton for the match due to a head knock sustained in Saturday’s London Irish match.The club also await the outcome of tomorrow’s (Thursday) hearing to discover whether the citing complaint against back-row Sean Cox will be upheld.Edinburgh Rugby squad to play Racing Metro at Murrayfield on Friday 18 November (kick-off 8pm)Mike Blair, Tom Brown, Sean Cox, Geoff Cross, Nick De Luca, Ross Ford, Grant Gilchrist, Phil Godman, Roddy Grant, John Houston, Gregor Hunter, James King, Allan Jacobsen, Lee Jones, Greig Laidlaw, Steven Lawrie, Harry Leonard, Esteban Lozada, Stuart McInally, Lewis Niven, Ross Rennie, Matt Scott, Netani Talei, Jim Thompson, Steven Turnbull, Kyle Traynor, Tim VisserCiting Sean Cox is alleged to have struck the London Irish centre, Shontayne Hape, during the second-half of the game. Robert Williams (Wales) has been appointed as the independent Judicial Officer to hear the matter and the hearing will take place this Thursday at ERC’s offices in Dublin.Law 10.4 (a) Striking another player with a hand, arm or fist: Under the IRB recommended sanctions for offences committed within the playing enclosure and carries the following penalties: low end – two weeks; mid-range – five weeks; top end – eight + to 52 weeks.