EDINBURGH skipper Grant Gilchrist says the big lesson he took from being a frustrated spectator as his team slumped to defeat against 14-man Benetton last weekend was the need to play with more consistency over the full 80 minutes.
The 32-year-old was one of 10 international players who were given the weekend off by head coach Mike Blair to refresh after the Autumn Test Series, but he expects to be back in the capital engine-room for tomorrow night’s clash against Munster at the DAM Health Stadium.
Edinburgh are currently fifth in the URC table, while Munster are ninth, but on a bit if a roll after beating a Springboks selects side and Connacht in their last two outings.
“We’re obviously bitterly disappointed with the performance at the weekend – it was a missed opportunity but something we can learn from as well,” said Gilchrist.
“Our breakdown work wasn’t to the level it needs to be to get our attacking game going, and they contained us well so fair play to them.
“Across the game we weren’t consistent enough. There were examples of how we want to play at points in the game, but it wasn’t for 80 minutes, and when you are playing against 14 men the one thing you have to be is consistent so as to put them under stress.
“If you are slow to one breakdown and lose the ball, then they get a chance to recover, they feel good about themselves, and any momentum you have built up disappears. That was the rut we got into, so that’s what we’ve focussed on rather than whether we switched off around the red card.
“The extra opportunity came from having an extra body, but the way we played we wouldn’t have been good enough against 15 men either.”
“This weekend is huge,” he added. “We know where we sit in the table and what it means for our aspirations going forward.
“They are quality opposition, so we’re under no illusions, but we’re looking forward to getting our performance right.”
