Edinburgh target Dewey for return to Murrayfield

EDINBURGH have confirmed that they are keen to re-sign Scotland centre Rob Dewey, who returns to Ulster's squad for tomorrow night's Magners League clash at Murrayfield.

Dewey left Edinburgh in the summer of discontent, when the SRU reclaimed the team from private owners in 2007. He has struggled both with injuries and form at Ravenhill and made only a handful of starts under Matt Williams, and though restored to an enlarged Ulster squad at the start of this week the powerful centre still may not feature in the matchday 22 which will be confirmed today.

There have been rumours that Edinburgh want him back as the SRU begins a new push to regain and keep as many international-calibre players inside their borders as they can, in the wake of the IRB's new regulation nine which hampers Scotland's Test preparations. With Dewey's international career having stalled on 13 caps weeks before he joined Ulster, a return with the potential to re-ignite Test hopes would be attractive.

Andy Robinson, the head coach, revealed that they would be talking with Dewey, though use of the word 'currently' suggested they already were, and he also threw into the conversation Ulster's Scotland winger Simon Danielli, who is also out of contract this year, but currently nursing a hamstring injury.

Robinson said: "We are always interested in bringing players to the squad, but if we do have dealings with players they are discussions that need to be held within the SRU and ourselves.

"Currently, there will be some discussions going on with Rob (Dewey] to bring him back if he's keen to come back to the SRU. We are always looking at bringing players, to chat to them; guys that have been here before and others. Guys like Simon Danielli you're looking at and asking 'Do they want to come back?' and 'What difference would they make if they did come back?'"

Glasgow were rumoured to be signing Jason White but the Sale flanker is understood to be heading to France at the end of this season, while Edinburgh are also understood to be interested in Scotland lock Scott MacLeod, who has not played for the Scarlets since he was cleared of a drugs offence in November and had a suspension lifted.

One definite new face to the Edinburgh line-up this week is Roddy Grant, the West of Scotland openside flanker, whose form in back-up games and with the Scotland sevens has propelled him through a back row injury crisis at the capital club to his Magners League debut.

Robinson admitted he had been impressed by Grant in training this week, and in pre-season, and felt his experience warranted a call-up ahead of Edinburgh's teenage prospect Chris Fusaro. There was no escaping the fact that Edinburgh were beaten off the ball by a more aggressive Glasgow back row in last week's Firhill defeat, and the hosts are hoping Grant's power and experience of intense sevens arenas will help them against an on-song Ulster side.

Edinburgh are also without Fraser McKenzie to a hamstring injury and this week lost Matt Mustchin and Alan MacDonald to knocks suffered in the Magners League defeat to Glasgow.

Mustchin has been carrying an ankle ligament problem since last season, but the chance to play for Scotland in Argentina and then the autumn Tests postponed an operation and he continued to play with his ankle heavily strapped. An operation is now being considered.

Craig Hamilton returns at lock for Mustchin, while Simon Cross, the club captain, makes his first start of the season in place of Scott Newlands at blindside flanker. Andrew Turnbull wins a recall on the right wing for Mark Robertson, who this week underwent a groin operation. Nick De Luca is dropped, however, with John Houston stepping in at inside centre.

Robinson said De Luca's poor performance against Glasgow was the result of him having played every minute of every game this season, as well as in Scotland's three autumn Test matches, something he had not planned but which was necessitated by injuries.

"I thought Nick under-performed last week, but it's about looking at why," said the coach. "We have put our arms around him, let him step away this week and come off the bench and perform from there. It was the same with Scott Newlands, who has had a couple of really good games and then dropped off a little, and it's being able to manage young players in their development.

"John Houston was one of our most consistent performers last year and I think it's right that he's given the opportunity in the midfield. We didn't get a good enough go-forward in the Glasgow game and I think the Ulster game will be a similar battle around the contact area and breakdown, and they have a good defence so we need to be able to attack them and pull them in a bit. And John Houston can maybe give us that."

Edinburgh (v Ulster at Murrayfield, tomorrow, 7.45pm): H Southwell; A Turnbull, B Cairns, J Houston, S Webster; P Godman, M Blair (capt); A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross, C Hamilton, J Hamilton, S Cross, A Hogg, R Grant. Substitutes: A Kelly, G Kerr, B Gissing, S Newlands, G Laidlaw, D Blair, N De Luca.