Edinburgh’s players are all under pressure to produce a performance this weekend when they visit the Scarlets, but for one there is a catalogue of reasons why he is extra-determined to shine.
Jason Harries was brought up only a few miles from the Parc y Scarlets in Carmarthen and played age-grade rugby in Scarlets’ academy, going on to win caps at under-18 and under-20 level.
At that stage, a career at his native club looked inevitable. Only it never happened.
The contract offer remained elusive while he made headlines with the Wales sevens team and kept his 15-a-side instincts honed with his local club, Carmarthen Quins.
When his breakthrough did come, Wales had nothing to do with it. London Scottish got him involved in full-time rugby and after a stellar season, Edinburgh invited him north.
“It would be nice to go down there and to play against them,” he reflected as the team prepared for the trip south.
“I am from that part of Wales and played for the Scarlet age grades so I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder.”
After only three games for his new club, Harries is acutely aware he still has to prove himself. In the English Championship, tries came regularly – 22 in 45 games for London Scottish – but he has yet to score for his new club, admittedly only three games into the season.
Harries is convinced, however, that he should have been awarded a try for his second-half touchdown against Benetton Treviso, the officials ruling he had lost the ball as he went to score.
“I got the ball down,” he said. “If there had been a TMO at the game, it would have been a close call.”
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