Edinburgh Rugby Club are delighted to announce today that they have signed 28-year-old Argentine international lock Esteban Lozada from French Top 14 club Toulon on a two year contract.
Lozada, who brings international experience and physical presence to the Edinburgh second-row, will replace Scotland lock Jim Hamilton who has decided to leave the club and take up a two-year contract with Gloucester in the English Premiership.
The news emerged as Edinburgh's Players' Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year, Roddy Grant, the dynamic 23-year-old back-row forward, extended his commitment to the club.
Grant, who is with Scotland A at the IRB Nations Cup at present and who has only just completed his first season as a professional player, has agreed a contract extension that will keep him at Murrayfield until May 2013.
Edinburgh head coach Rob Moffat said today: "These are exciting times for Edinburgh. When Jim Hamilton told us he wished to leave the club to take up a new challenge we set about finding a suitable high calibre replacement.
"I believe we have found such a man in Esteban Lozada. He's a big, physical player, 6ft 5ins and 17 ½ stone, the sort of experienced, seasoned international lock who can really help us win the go-forward battle but who wants to play for us too because he sees it as an opportunity for him to get better too.
"It's also brilliant that we have agreed an extended contract with Roddy, who is a class rugby player, whose appetite to improve seems to have no limits.
"We wish Jim well at Gloucester and thank him for his dedication and commitment to Edinburgh."
Lozada said: "I've had three good years at Toulon and really enjoyed my time there, where we ended our season in the final of the European [Amlin] Challenge Cup.
"I've been to Murrayfield before, when I came with Argentina last November, and it's a great stadium. I'm looking forward to developing my rugby playing for Edinburgh in the Magners League and Heineken Cup, and developing myself as a player. It will be a good challenge to move to a new country and a new culture."
Lozada, who is married with two young children - Agustin is two and a half and Sophia, six months - brought the family to the city to gauge their reaction. It was postive. "Agustin is talking all the time about the great city of the castle! Will they develop Scottish accents? I hope so!," he beamed.
Grant said: "I think it's a great move for me to agree a contract extension. I've had such a good year - (during which he has played for Scotland A and Scotland 7s, as well as captaining Edinburgh) - and the rugby we play and the set-up with the coaches is everything a young and ambitious rugby player could want. I'm very happy and looking forward to really pushing on both as an individual and collectively with the team next season."
Jim Hamilton said: "Edinburgh Rugby have some world-class talent and Edinburgh, in my view is the best city in the world to live in.
"The supporters are so loyal, friendly and welcoming and that's something that I've really enjoyed and that's something for which I want to say a big thank you.
"With the World Cup coming up and the competition for a second-row place in the Scotland team intensifying all the time I just felt that it was the right time for me to set off on a new challenge. I'm looking forward to joining Gloucester, they're a big team with a lot of history, but I wish the boys all the best."
Esteban Lozada
Born: 8 January 1982 in Ottignies (30km south-east of Brussels), Belgium
Position: Lock
Height: 6ft 5in (1.95m)
Weight: 17st 5lb (110kg)
Played for Argentina at under-19, under-21 and A team levels
Made his debut for Argentina on 11 November 2006 in win (25-18) against England at Twickenham
Last played for Argentina on 14 November 2009 against England at Twickenham
Was part of the 2007 Rugby World Cup squad (two matches from the bench against Georgia and France)
Has 16 caps for Argentina (eight starts, eight from the bench)
Has toured seven times with the Pumas
Played Scotland twice (7 & 14 June 2008 in Argentina)
Was unused sub against Scotland at Murrayfield in November 2009
Played for Club Atletico de San Isidro (CASI) from 2001-07 in Argentina
Joined Toulon in 2007 (one season in Pro D2, two seasons in Top 14)
EDINBURGH RUGBY
Captain Mike Blair, Allan Jacobsen, Chris Paterson, Greig Laidlaw, Steve Turnbull, Kyle Traynor, Nick De Luca and Jim Thompson have all agreed new contracts with Edinburgh Rugby Club. They have been joined today by Ben Cairns, Geoff Cross and John Houston
New recruits for the 2010/11 season include:
Argentine international lock Esteban Lozada, Fijian international back-row Netani Talei, Scotland centre Alex Grove (season long loan), prop Jack Gilding
Academy players: Stuart McInally, Alex Blair, Lewis Niven, Fraser Brown and David Denton
Scottish club players: James King (from Melrose) and Lee Jones (from Selkirk)
- Tim Visser scored the quickest hat-trick ever in the Magners League against Ospreys on 7 March 2010
- Tim Visser is currently the Magners League's leading try scorer with ten tries
Edinburgh won all three home Heineken Cup Pool games during the 2009/2010 season
There are currently 17 Scotland internationalists in the Edinburgh squad plus 14 Scotland 'A' internationalists.
There are only three non-Scottish qualified players (Esteban Lozada, Netani Talei and Tim Visser) in the Edinburgh squad
