Thank you: Douglas Struth

Tonight, we go again. One last time this season.

As the gates open for our final home game against Connacht, we are humbled to confirm that Hive Stadium is a sell-out – following on from the sell-out last time out against a Springbok-laden Sharks.

To see our home at full capacity tonight is a testament to the unwavering loyalty shown through every twist and turn of this campaign.

Another historic year in the stands

Whilst the results on the pitch have not always mirrored our ambitions this season, your support has rewritten the record books.

This year, Edinburgh Rugby has seen record-breaking average attendances once again, proving that the heartbeat of rugby in this city is louder and stronger than ever, despite those that would seek to run that down.

From the near 40-thousand crowd at the 1872 Cup, to the packed-out Friday nights right here at Hive Stadium, you have turned our home into a fortress of noise and passion.

We will never take your support for granted

We know this season has been bruising at times. It has tested your patience, as well as the resilience of everyone who works so hard every day to help the club we love grow.

But it has not shaken our resolve.  

Truly great clubs are not forged in moments of triumph, but in how they rise together when facing the hardest obstacles. Every setback has hardened our character and deepened the bond within our squad and club.

My pride is in how every single fan, partner, player, coach and colleague who truly cares pulled together, never gave up on the Edinburgh Rugby jersey, and refused to blink, despite being written off by some.

That resolve is what will take us forward into next season.

Building for a brighter 2026/27

Fight is what we saw when our backs were against the wall this season – securing hard-fought victories against the likes of Toulon, Gloucester, Sharks, and Benetton away from home, whilst going down swinging in the knock-out stages of the Investec Champions Cup against Leinster.

We’ve deliberately blooded the next generation of Edinburgh Rugby talent – often fielding matchday 23s with many players aged 21 or under. The emergence of homegrown stars like Freddy Douglas, Liam McConnell, Tom Currie, Jack Brown, Ollie and Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, and Hector Patterson has given us a glimpse of a very bright future indeed. They have grasped the opportunities they have been given this season with both hands.

We’ve seen six of our Academy players step up into the professional ranks this season, and another six will do so at the end of this season. Local players will become legends in our jersey, and they really are the heartbeat of our next chapter. We make no apology for this.

Added to that, we have made fundamental changes to our coaching group and have worked hard to ensure that the playing squad for next season is more competitive than ever.

With talent like Riley Higgins, Louie Chapman, Alec Hepburn and James Grayson joining in key positions, combined with the ongoing commitment of stalwarts like captain Magnus Bradbury, Grant Gilchrist, Darcy Graham, Ewan Ashman, and Pierre Schoeman, we are laying the foundations for a massive 2026/27 season.

Tonight is for you

Tonight we are fighting for the jersey, for the 7,800 of you in the stands, and for the thousands more following from home.

We care deeply about this club, and the fans that make it, and we want to end this year on a high whilst celebrating the milestones of our senior stars and giving our departing players the send-off they deserve.

The growth in this club over several years now, and over this season, has been real. When I reflect on the the player signings and re-signings, the homegrown talent coming through, the changes we have made, and our incredible and growing fanbase, I’m filled with excitement for what’s to come.

We look forward with a renewed hunger, an even sharper focus, and the absolute certainty that the difficulties we have weathered together will only make us stronger.

Thank you

Thank you for being part of this season. Let’s make some noise for the final 80 minutes.

We Fight. We Care. We Grow