VISSER IS JOINING THE EXODUS AT EDINBURGH
EDINBURGH winger Tim Visser has become the latest big name to quit Scottish rugby after signing a two- year deal with Aviva Premiership club Harlequins.
As exclusively revealed by Sportsmail earlier this month, the 27- year- old Dutch- born Scotland international is departing the capital outfit following a sixyear spell north of the border.
It was only after the Scottish Rugby Union failed to reach an agreement over a new contract with Visser that Harlequins — who have also signed Welsh prop Adam Jones and have his countryman Jamie Roberts on their radar — stepped in to make him a better offer.
Edinburgh have also given Scotland cap Tom Heathcote permission to leave for Worcester Warriors, while Scotland A cap Ollie Atkins is going south to join Exeter Chiefs.
Scrum-half Grayson Hart, who won his one and only Scotland cap against Canada last summer, is joining Glasgow Warriors.
The capital club have signed New Zealand- born back row forward Nasi Manu and Tongan winger Will Helu, but the loss of Visser is a blow to head coach Alan Solomons.
At Glasgow, there is even more summer upheaval in store, with fans favourite Niko Matawalu being allowed to join Bath, top try scorer DTH van der Merwe going to Scarlets, Sean Maitland to London Irish, and prop Jon Welsh moving to Newcastle Falcons.
Even l ong- serving assistant head coach Shade Munro is being allowed to leave the club.
Although Warriors have signed Scotland second row Kieron Low from London Irish, plus Simone Favaro from Treviso, they are not game- changing players l i ke Matawalu or van der Merwe.
Even Hart, who has signed from Edinburgh, has struggled to get a starting place at the capital club since the emergence of Sam Hidalgo-Clyne.
Losing consistent try scorers like Visser and van der Merwe certainly weakens both sides for next season — with the pressure now on the SRU to come up with some big-name replacements.
So far, they haven’t materialised but Edinburgh’s assistant head coach Stevie Scott believes that the door is opening for young Scottish talent.
‘Although Tim is a top player, we have the likes of Tom Brown, Damian Hoyland, Jamie Farndale and, of course, Dougie Fife who has been away with Scotland for the Six Nations, still at the club for next season,’ said Scott.
‘We have some real depth and huge potential among the young Scots at the club. They can come good and get some experience in front of big crowds once Tim goes.
‘They will get an opportunity and we will be hoping they can do the same as our forward Hamish Watson did in his first season when he got his chance at professional level.
‘He was on the verge of the Edinburgh team through playing well for Edinburgh Accies and when he got his chance, he took it big time.
‘I expect the same from the young guys like Hoyland, who will come through next season. Once these young boys are ready they will definitely get their chance.’
Scott revealed they had tried and failed to keep Visser at Edinburgh but would have no qualms about playing him from now until the end of the season.
‘Tim has been here six years, scored some good tries but it was his decision to go and he will experience something different in the Premiership, so we wish him well,’ added Scott.
‘He is here to the end of the season and he will continue to give his all. We would have no qualms playing him in the Challenge Cup quarter- final against London Irish on Sunday and i n our remaining league games. He is a quality player.’
Visser, who signed for Edinburgh from Newcastle Falcons in 2009, insisted he was desperate to leave on a high by helping Edinburgh to a top- six finish that would guarantee European Champions Cup rugby next season.
There’s also the small matter of that European Challenge Cup clash with London Irish.
‘My career at Edinburgh has been great and I’ve learnt so much working with a number of coaches since then,’ said the 6ft 4in winger who had been top scorer in the PRO12 in four out of his six seasons at Edinburgh.
‘ I’m really grateful for their encouragement and f or the supporters accepting me.
‘Getting to the Heineken Cup semi-final, in 2012, and making my Scotland debut have been massive. More recently, the 1872 Cup win was a huge highlight.
‘I’ll particularly miss the likes of Roddy Grant and Ross Ford who are still here and I would like to go out on a high.’