SIMON Webster joined an Edinburgh squad six years ago wanting to emulate the likes of Derrick Lee and Craig Joiner, but as he achieves the milestone of 100 appearances against the Ospreys tonight he wants to ensure the legacy he leaves is not one of longevity but new success.
The 27-year-old returned to the Scotland team for the final autumn Test with Canada, and after a year in which he has battled with several injuries and struggled to recapture his best form the winger nicknamed 'Nitro' is becoming fed up with frequent
talk of 'potential' and less of genuine achievement.
He said: "I've really enjoyed it at Edinburgh. There have been a lot of guys I really looked up to, like Craig Joiner and Derrick Lee, who I thought were awesome. They had played a lot of games for Edinburgh and I remember thinking at the time I came in that it was something I'd like to do as well, but now that I've got there, more important to me than playing 100 games is playing well.
"I'm always cautious about building us up, and it's more a case of it being exciting at the moment than promising success.
"One thing I can say is that when we train these days, from an attacking point of view I have found it much harder to find space.
"We train better than we have done over the years. The physicality of the squad has got better; it helps when guys come out of school and Uni and they've been doing weights for a number of years, and are hugely interested in speed and fitness stuff. Certainly, the physical levels we are at now were not there seven years ago.
"And the competition is a lot bigger. I don't think there is anyone in the squad who feels they can have a couple of bad games and still get picked. If they don't perform guys know they could be on the bench or out of the 22 altogether."
A rival for the Scottish wing berths, Nikki Walker, returns to Murrayfield tonight in the Ospreys colours fresh from his brace of tries on the other flank to Webster in Scotland's win over Canada.
Though they are named on opposite flanks tonight the pair will be desperate to remind the watching Scotland coaches that they are very much in the mix for RBS Six Nations Championship places.
Ross Rennie makes his first start since March due to injury, and fellow openside flanker Alan MacDonald also plays in what has the potential to be a very dynamic Edinburgh back row, provided the team gets on the front foot.
Jim Hamilton, the Scotland lock, is rested, but seven players of the team that started for Scotland against Canada last week start again, including front rows Allan Jacobsen and Ross Ford.
The fact Edinburgh, in sixth spot, remain just seven points behind the Ospreys in second, despite having just claimed their second win in Connacht before the Test break, is an indication of how close this Magners League is.
The key for both Scottish teams tonight is to make the most of Wales having a fourth autumn Test match, against Australia tomorrow.
But the term 'weakened' for these Welsh sides is relative. The Ospreys are missing 21 players, nine – Lee Byrne, Andrew Bishop, Shane Williams, James Hook, Ryan Jones, Ian Gough, Alun Wyn Jones, Adam Jones and Richard Hibbard – to international duty, and a further 12 to injury, including caps Huw Bennett, Duncan Jones, Ian Evans, Mike Phillips, Jamie Nutbrown and Gavin Henson, yet still are confident of having the quality to dispose of the Scots.
Edinburgh coach Andy Robinson admitted: "This could be a more dangerous game because these guys are all playing for places, and they have some young talent in there too. They could be more dangerous than if they had had three matches with Wales. They're not going to come here and lie down.
"But, for us, every time we play it is about winning and performing at the level we want to reach. It doesn't matter who the opposition is.
"If we were playing the All Blacks this weekend we'd be looking to win. That's the mentality we've got to have.
"But also, we've got to respect the opposition. If you disrespect opposition it can count against you. Too many players can do that.
"I've known that from when I thought I was going up against a big player, and he wasn't picked and they put in a lesser player, then I dropped down a bit and that player then outplays you.
"They still have (Filo] Tiatia and (Marty] Holah, two guys who have been the heartbeat and strength of the team, (Tommy] Bowe, Walker, (Dan] Biggar – the new golden boy of Welsh rugby.
"This next month is a big opportunity for us. We don't want to be in the if-only stages; it's now time for us to win these big matches and enjoy their challenges. We have to deliver in this game."
Edinburgh (v Ospreys at Murrayfield, 7.30pm): C Paterson; M Robertson, B Cairns, N De Luca, S Webster; P Godman, M Blair (capt); A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross, C Hamilton, B Gissing, A MacDonald, A Hogg, R Rennie. Subs: Andrew Kelly, Gavin Kerr, Matt Mustchin, Scott Newlands, Greig Laidlaw, David Blair, Hugo Southwell.
Ospreys: K Phillips; D Bishop, S Parker, N Walker; D Biggar, R Webb; P James (capt), E Shervington, C Mitchell, F Tiatia, L Bateman, S Tandy, T Smith, M Holah. Subs: M Breeze, C Griffiths, R Bevington, M Collins, J Thomas, R Wells, A Beck.
