EDINBURGH rugby star Geoff Cross today hailed fellow substitute Callum MacRae as the unsung hero behind the team's latest success which keeps them on course for a highest-ever Magners Celtic League finish.
With injury time being played during an eventual 15-13 win over Leinster at Murrayfield, which moved Edinburgh up to fourth in the table – their best-ever final placing is fifth, the home pack were penalised comfortably in range of their own posts.
The issue seemed cut and dried. Either Felipe Contepomi would knock the ball over the bar and Leinster would win or, if he misfired, the ball would be out of play bringing on the final whistle.
However, utility back MacRae had other ideas.
Tight head prop Cross, below, recalled: "It was Kitty (MacRae) who realised before anybody that a third way would be a rebound back off a post and into play, creating a try-scoring chance because the ball must go dead before a match can be declared all over.
"Full marks to him for being ahead of the game. His awareness led to players being in position when – just as he had forecast – the ball did come back off the post.
"Even then there was work to be done controlling the ball and getting it away from Leinster.
"Under Kitty's direction, it fell to Ben Cairns in the commotion that followed the rebound to pick up and take the ball off the pitch."
Such intuition contributed to Cross completing a double over Leinster, having come off the bench to help seal victory when the Dubliners visited on European Cup business last December.
On that occasion a tactical switch brought him into the fray. This time a neck injury to Gavin Kerr created his opportunity and could leave him in line to start the final two Edinburgh outings at Ospreys on Friday week and Llanelli seven days later.
The 25-year-old's potential break comes at a time, too, when international pair Craig Smith (calf) and Allan Jacobsen (groin) are sidelined for the season and, while sympathising from his perspective as a fully qualified doctor, Cross knows the reality is that he has moved up the queue.
"It's dead men's boots – that's partly what this game is about," said Cross. "I just have to fill in as best I can in the hope that I'll be the one getting regular starts sooner rather than later."
What's clear is that the prospect of a first Edinburgh start since the Autumn World Cup took the club's internationals away is now within touching distance and Cross is ideally equipped nowadays to make the most of it.
He said "Balancing my medical training with rugby was difficult. But I'm fortunate now to have graduated and can concentrate on my privileged, but short, career in rugby.
"Meantime I'm ready to use my new-found time to push to get into Edinburgh's team on merit." Many are convinced Cross has what it takes to go higher – helped by regular club action when he was farmed out to Hawick. But has that experience assisted?
He said: "There's a perception in the amateur game that, if you have too many good players, they all get poached by the professional teams.
"Some clubs understand and in declaring themselves feeders expect it to happen.
"Others say 'you're stealing the best talent and killing the grass roots'.
"My view is that it's nice to put something back. Those of us who do go back to the amateurs are obliged to act professionally in the knowledge that we are very fortunate.
"For the things we get to do, the hours we work, the rewards we receive and the experiences we have, pro rugby is a very good deal for players. Of course there is perhaps a price to be paid later possibly through the knocks sustained with arthritis a possibility."
"What it comes down to is having the choice and, generally, I believe Scottish rugby is moving in the right direction. I'm looking forward to trying to become an even bigger part of that future."
The full article contains 689 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
