David Blair revealed he intends to use his affection for Edinburgh Academicals as a catalyst to trigger off a Houdini-like escape for the team in their must Scottish Hydro Electric Premier One match at champions Boroughmuir.

Blair, 22, followed in the footsteps of father, Robert and older brother, Mike when he pulled on the blue and white hoops earlier on this season.

His form for the Accies prompted a call-up into Edinburgh’s number 10 shirt where he contributed 30 points in five starts.

Now after spending two months out injured with a hand injury, Blair has returned to Accies where they need to defeat neighbours Boroughmuir, who ran away with the title, in order to stay in the top division.

Blair’s motivation is cranked up for two reasons; firstly because it is the club’s 150th anniversary year and secondly because he considers Raeburn Place to be a home from home.

Blair said: “As I said before, it wouldn’t feel right playing for anyone else. I have been an Accies supporter all my life, I was a ball boy there and both my Dad and brother have played for them.

“It is like a second home for me and I know a lot of the people there. This match is a must-win match and I will do everything I can to help them stay up.

“It is very important that the team stays up. I think every club wants to be in the top league and so much hard work had been done for them to get back to where they were before. To just let it all go would be a massive disappointment.”

Blair will be coming up against South African-born lock Fergus Pringle in the match, but he stresses that the fact they train with each other every day at Edinburgh won’t affect their competitive streaks.

He added: “We train every day together, so we know each other well. But in rugby you are always playing against people you know really well. I might say hello to him at the bottom of a ruck or something.”

After injuring his hand in a freak training ground accident which required emergency stitches, Blair was sidelined for nearly two months and missed the Munster and Dragons matches.

But now he is just keen to get some much-needed game time under his belt as he looks to challenge first choice stand-off Phil Godman for a starting role during the final stages of the season.

He said: “I hadn’t played a game for a couple of months until the Glasgow game two
weeks ago.

“So obviously I just really wanted to play and it is good that professional players are allowed to play in Premier One. Without playing for my club, I would just have another weekend without a game, so that is good.”

Meanwhile, Mark Robertson continues his comeback from a long-term pelvic injury by turning out for club side, Melrose where they face Currie, the club where his close friend Andrew Easson is affiliated, at Malleny Park.

Centre Matt Dey has been called up by Heriot’s for the local derby clash against Watsonians, captained by Kyle Traynor, at Goldenacre.

Edinburgh Rugby Club actively supports and promotes all of the rugby clubs in and around the Edinburgh district, so if you are at a loose end on Saturday why not go and cheer on your local club.

Fixtures, Saturday 22 March
Ayr v Glasgow Hawks, 3pm
Boroughmuir v Edinburgh Acads, 3pm
Currie v Melrose, 3pm
GHA v Dundee HSFP, 3pm
Hawick v Stirling County, 3pm
Heriots Rugby Club v Watsonians, 3pm