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Darcy Graham: 'I had other offers but I want to win silverware with Edinburgh'
By Bryn Palmer
Darcy Graham has given Scottish rugby a major festive fillip by agreeing a new contract with Edinburgh through until the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
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The 26-year-old Scotland winger, who has been at the capital club since 2017, turned down offers from elsewhere to sign a new three-year deal.
Graham has scored 34 tries in 61 outings for Edinburgh and is also Scotland’s joint-second highest try scorer with 24 in 39 Tests, 12 of those having come in his last eight internationals.
He is only three behind Stuart Hogg’s all-time record of 27, which seems destined to fall to his fellow Hawick native in the near future, unless Duhan van der Merwe, currently on 21 tries, beats him to it.
“Make no bones about it, Darcy [Graham] is box office,” said Edinburgh senior coach Sean Everitt. “He’s a world-class talent who can change a game at the drop of a hat. We’ve seen that for both Edinburgh and Scotland through the years – it’s brilliant that we’ve managed to re-sign him on a new long-term deal.
All I want for Christmas… 🎶
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— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) December 25, 2023
“Darcy is a guy who just loves to play the game of rugby and I think that being here in Edinburgh, surrounded by his team-mates, friends and family, suits him to a tee.
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“This is his boyhood club where he has made his name and the Edinburgh supporters absolutely love him – you only have to hear their reaction every time he scores at home. It’s hugely exciting for both club and country that Darcy has decided his future remains in Edinburgh.”
Since the start of last season, Graham has scored 24 tries in his last 21 games overall for Edinburgh and Scotland, despite being sidelined with damaged knee ligaments for three months last term.
He has just returned from a further two-month absence with a hip problem sustained in Scotland’s final World Cup pool match against Ireland, making his Edinburgh comeback off the bench in their Challenge Cup win against Castres before starting Friday’s URC defeat by Glasgow at Scotstoun.
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Graham said he was “hugely excited” after agreeing his new deal. “I did have other offers, but this is home, and after speaking with Sean [Everitt], he really sold me on his plans for the club. That got me excited and I’m keen to be part of what we’re building here in Edinburgh.
“I think Sean and I are pretty similar. He knows what he wants. I know what I want. He keeps it nice and simple – just go out and play rugby and that’s exactly what I’m all about. We sometimes make rugby too confusing. I feel like I can play the type of game that I enjoy under Sean.”
Having now committed the peak years of his career to Edinburgh, the winger is desperate to help the club win a trophy.
“It’s my ambition to win silverware with Edinburgh,” he added. “I’d be gutted if I went my whole career here and didn’t win anything with this club and group of players.
“I genuinely feel like this group can win something and that was also a factor in wanting to stay in Edinburgh. We’ve got the talent, a great new home, it’s now about backing it up week on week.”
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The writer here ignores the fact that, following on from not taking the penalty kick, the All Blacks did manage to score a try a few minutes later. Not directly from the penalty awarded, but it is speculation to say that had they opted to take the koi they would have won. Even if they kicked it, which was no guarantee, they would still be trailing and would have had to start again at half-way.
Go to commentsI would be surprised if Sales Opoku Fordjour and Northampton’s Tommy Freeman are not in the team, Anthony Watson is also one that could go on the wing. One thing I must say is that the front 3 will get destroyed against a team like South Africa.
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