Ben Muncaster aiming to star for Edinburgh and earn Scotland debut

Edinburgh back row Ben Muncaster has set himself the goal of playing for Scotland this season as he aims for a breakthrough campaign.

The 22-year-old endured a season to forget as bad luck with injuries saw him feature just three times for his club, ultimately costing him a shot at playing on the tour of the Americas with Gregor Townsend’s national team.

Muncaster, who has represented his country at Under-18s, Under-19s and in a Scotland A match, is desperate to re-establish himself as one of the country’s most promising breakaway forwards and set himself the target of earning a cap to push himself to new heights.

Asked about the campaign ahead, Muncaster said: “In terms of this season I want to play for Scotland, that’s my goal. I want to do it, and I fully believe I can.

“It gives me something to hold myself to account for. If I come in every single day thinking ‘I want to play for Scotland this year’ then I am setting myself standards.

“That is what I have been doing this pre-season. I am absolutely loving it, I think I have been playing well, so let’s see what happens.”

Playing most of his rugby at number eight, Muncaster has fierce competition for the national team in the form of Glasgow Warriors’ Jack Dempsey and Matt Fagerson.

Bill Mata has been a force wearing 8 for Edinburgh for the past eight years but has moved on this summer to play for Bristol Bears, with Magnus Bradbury returning to the capital in his place.

Bradbury and Muncaster are expected to feature when Edinburgh host Gloucester in a pre-season match at The Hive Stadium on Friday night, before the URC campaign opens with the visit of Leinster on September 20.

Asked about the impact that Fijian star Mata had on himself and the club, Muncaster said: “Some player and what a great bloke. Quite a quiet man, one of the most humble I’ve met, and one of the best rugby players I have ever seen.