'Boffelli return a real fillip as URC resumes'

This is an Edinburgh column but it's been written in the wake of Sunday's Scotland game, so you'll understand my frustration if I mention that Ireland are an excellent team and would still be even if they played within the rules occasionally.

As well as being a good team they somehow manage to get inside the Scottish psyche before a man in a green shirt is offside or a deliberate knock-on actually happens.

There is rugby this weekend as the United Rugby Championship resumes and Edinburgh take on Zebre Parma on Friday night. It's a pretty big game for the capital side. Only five points separate sixth from 12th and Edinburgh are currently sitting in eighth at the heart of that maelstrom.

It's a game Edinburgh should win as our record against Zebre is very good. We have played them 19 times and only lost four. But, and it's the usual but, when it comes to Edinburgh, we can confound even the smartest betting algorithm.

To add to the jeopardy it's hard to see what team we will be able to put out.

As far as Scotland releases go, none of the following have played any part in the opening two games of the Six Nations and could be made available - Luke Crosbie, Matt Currie, Patrick Harrison, D'Arcy Rae, and Marshall Sykes.

Ben Muncaster is good to go and there is exciting news that Emiliano Boffelli is fit, which is a real fillip.

Edinburgh should be good enough to continue a winning streak against Zebre that goes back to 2018, just so long as we approach it on the basis that they have only won one less game in their campaign than we have and react accordingly.

Sandy Smith can be found at The Burgh Watch