‘Always here, always giving everything’ – Sykes signs new two-year deal

Sykes, 26, starts in the second row for this Friday night’s clash against Zebre Parma – a match that will mark his 95th appearance for the club, with the lock fast approaching becoming Edinburgh Rugby’s 47th centurion.

A powerful, tireless presence in the engine room, Sykes has become one of the club’s most dependable performers since making his first Edinburgh start against Dragons at the Principality Stadium in March 2021.

His all-time numbers tell their own story – and they are the numbers of a player who thrives in the unglamorous corners of the game.

786 tackles, 1,809 ruck hits, a 95.71% maul success rate and 91% of scrums won on own ball; statistics that rarely make the highlights reel but every teammate depends on.

The Scotland international – who made his Test debut against Tonga at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in October 2021 and has since earned eight caps, including his Six Nations bow away to France in March 2025 – has long been one of Edinburgh’s most influential figures in the capital pack.

On putting pen to paper, Sykes said: “Signing this deal was one of the easiest decisions I’ve ever had to make. Edinburgh is home, simple as that.

“My wife and I are so settled here, so happy in this city, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else. This club means everything to me and I want to be the kind of player that Edinburgh fans look back on and say, ‘He was always here, he always put his body on the line for us.’

“I’ve been here in the good times and I’ve been here in the harder times, and if anything that’s made me more determined than ever to help turn things around. Playing under Sean [Everitt] has been great – his ambition for this club is clear and I’m excited about the direction he’s taking us as a squad.

“I want to repay the faith the club has shown in me and I genuinely believe the best is still ahead of us.”

Head Coach Sean Everitt added: “Marshall is one of the most important players in our squad and, honestly, one of the most underrated. Week in, week out, he puts in the kind of shift that wins matches – the tackles, the ruck hits, the set-piece contribution – and he does it with a consistency that is incredibly hard to find.

“At 26 he is just entering his prime as a lock forward, and by committing to Edinburgh for another two years he is putting himself in a real position to push for the international recognition his performances deserve.

“He gives everything every time he pulls on that jersey, and we are absolutely delighted to have him tied down for another two years.”