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Edinburgh Rugby: Richard Cockerill signs contract extension until 2021

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments46

Richard Cockerill
Richard Cockerill has overseen a dramatic improvement at Edinburgh this season

Richard Cockerill has signed a two-year contract extension with Edinburgh, committing to the club until 2021.

The Englishman arrived as head coach in the summer of 2017 on a two-year deal and has overseen a significant upturn in the team's fortunes this season.

After several disappointing campaigns, Cockerill has led Edinburgh to the brink of the Pro14 playoffs.

"I saw this as a fresh challenge and have really enjoyed getting stuck in at Edinburgh," Cockerill said.

"There is still a lot to do at the club and I wanted to stay and continue working with a great group of fellow coaches and hard-working players.

"We are building a better squad and a better culture, bit by bit, with the aim of improving results and making us more competitive and consistent.

"The support I've received from Scottish Rugby since I arrived has been first class and I'm excited about what the future will hold for Edinburgh Rugby if we continue to apply ourselves in the right way."

With Glasgow Warriors going from strength to strength, Edinburgh have been left behind in recent years, regularly finishing in the bottom half of the league and rarely looking like mounting a serious challenge.

Edinburgh
Edinburgh are on the brink of the Pro14 playoffs and reached the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals

The introduction of former Leicester and Toulon coach Cockerill has changed all that. He has gradually transformed Edinburgh into a team that is first and foremost difficult to beat, and in recent times the side has shown a more potent attacking edge to their play.

The early months of his reign were difficult, largely due to events away from the pitch. After making the surprise decision to appoint Magnus Bradbury his captain at the start of the season, he was forced to strip the young back row of that honour after he injured himself on a night out in Edinburgh city centre.

The same week, Scotland flanker John Hardie was suspended following allegations of cocaine use. He was later handed a three-month suspension by Scottish Rugby.

The team have put these early season off-field distractions behind them, however, to put themselves in a fantastic position to reach the Pro14 playoffs.

Ulster must beat Glasgow and Munster with maximum points, and hope Edinburgh take nothing from their match against Warriors, to deny them a play-off place.

Scottish Rugby chief executive Mark Dodson said: "I have been delighted by the impact Richard has had since his arrival and so it was the right decision to retain his services through to 2021.

"We have worked hard to secure a world-class coaching group in Scotland and Richard has put down strong foundations which is both improving our players and underpinning the work being done off the pitch to take the club forward.

"I know Richard sees Edinburgh Rugby as a long-term project and while there has been a positive start we all expect the progress to continue in the coming seasons."

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46 comments

  • Comment posted by Agoodbigun, at 10:18 20 Apr 2018

    Glad for both Cockers and Edinburgh, he has done wonders with that team this season.

  • Comment posted by Campbell, at 10:14 20 Apr 2018

    Best signing they will make all summer.

  • Comment posted by Andy Malcolm, at 10:32 20 Apr 2018

    Excellent news !!

  • Comment posted by Pragmatist, at 10:42 20 Apr 2018

    Even if the powers that be, decide we need to stay at the chasm that is Murrayfield for next season.... I'll still renew my season ticket because of what Cocker's has done to the team.

    Well done that man!

  • Comment posted by BigG, at 10:32 20 Apr 2018

    Even as a Glasgow fan I’m impressed with the improvements in Edinburgh this season and hopefully they will continue to progress under Cockerill. It’d benefit Scotland greatly having players from both teams becoming used to success on a more frequent basis.

  • Comment posted by clerrie boy, at 10:33 20 Apr 2018

    Good news, have enjoyed the games this year, just wish we had a new home to play at , would help the team enormously

  • Comment posted by John Stoddart, at 10:37 20 Apr 2018

    He's a good coach and has transformed Edinburgh. And from a Scotland point of view, it's a good style to complement Glasgow.

  • Comment posted by D1710745944388, at 12:19 20 Apr 2018

    Shows you how much Scottish Rugby is improving 2 top class coaches in Rennie and Cockers coaching our only 2 pro clubs both of which in the top 3 of the conferences Glasgow 1st, Edinburgh 3rd despite being out numbered by welsh and Irish teams by 2 clubs national side also up to 5th in the world and U18s unbeaten to win the 6 Nations

  • Comment posted by Anton Bardovitch, at 10:37 20 Apr 2018

    Good news for Edinburgh. He keeps them playing at a consistently high level, which didn't happen under previous coaches.

  • Comment posted by Jototale, at 12:53 20 Apr 2018

    This is huge for Scottish Rugby - we need two competitive pro teams, and we need to work on our competitiveness in the tight and this extension helps secure both. Extending Cockerill's contract was number 1 on my wish-list from the SRU so kudos. We've seen huge short-term improvements in terms of the Edinburgh forwards, and the overall mental toughness of the team. Long may it continue.

  • Comment posted by TeamCam, at 10:37 20 Apr 2018

    Fantastic stuff. Hopefully they can build on the foundations they’ve established this year.

  • Comment posted by BarryCrescentPatch, at 17:54 20 Apr 2018

    The SRFU are doing a great job managing the Scottish game. Townsend is a true gem. Cockerill is helping us a huge amount also. Well done SRFU, Edinburgh, Cockerill, Townsend - amazing progress in last five years. Who would have thought.

  • Comment posted by Zhukov bach, at 11:31 20 Apr 2018

    Well so much for the many 'experts' commenting on Cockerill, saying that he would jump ship and go back to the premiership. This is excellent news for Edinburgh and shows the true depth of Cockerill.

  • Comment posted by User0718718970, at 12:52 20 Apr 2018

    Well a Man of integrity. I thought he was stitched on for the Stoop were I am sure the finances are greater.

  • Comment posted by Campbell, at 11:24 20 Apr 2018

    @10. Sandman.

    I think you can see the improvements they are trying to play with the more expansive side of things. A lot will depend on new signings but the likes of Taylor, Barclay and Bennett play heads up rugby.

    They will always be resilient under him and perhaps GT can learn something from him about that. ABs are always resilient and can play an open game so not mutually exclusive.

  • Comment posted by DolbyD, at 16:39 20 Apr 2018

    Superb news for Edinburgh. The more I see his success there, the more I ask the question 'What on earth was going on at Tigers for Cockers to be forced out'?

    Good luck with the new deal, Cockers.

  • Comment posted by Gyro-11, at 11:32 20 Apr 2018

    Good news Friday! I'm so pleased Cockers is staying on. Hats off to him for galvanising and disciplining the team like it has never been done before. Long way to go still, but I think he's the man to do it.

  • Comment posted by Stuart, at 12:09 20 Apr 2018

    It's a shame Duncan Weir has finally found some form now that he's leaving the club. With his current quality he'd be very useful for either Glasgow or Edinburgh next season.

  • Comment posted by Inthebin, at 18:24 20 Apr 2018

    Great news for Edinburgh & Scottish Rugby, Richard Cockerill take a bow. Great to see both the professional sides doing well. Hopefully a Glasgow win in Belfast tomorrows allows Edinburgh and Glasgow to really go for it the week after. Can't wait!!

  • Comment posted by Mark , at 11:30 20 Apr 2018

    Was against his appointment would have much preferred a Scottish coach but reluctantly i have to see the job RC has done has been exceptional and extending his contract like Campbell says will be the best signing all Summer. So happy to have been proved completely wrong.

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