Nicholas John De Luca has become a pivotal player for Edinburgh since rejoining the club from Border Reivers in the summer of 2007.
The classy centre is regarded as one of the most creative customers in the land and has developed into a key figure for both club and country, returning to the national fold for the 2011 RBS 6 Nations Championship weeks after recovering from a groin complaint that kept him out for the first part of season 2010/11.
The 2011/12 season was one of the most impressive for De Luca who continued to command the outside-centre berth for club and country and proving a key figure in the rising fortunes of promising young centre partner Matt Scott and try-machine Tim Visser on the wing.
De Luca was part of the Scotland team that recorded a historic series victory in Argentina in June 2010, starting at outside centre in the first test victory in Tucuman. The midfielder made his Test debut during the 2008 RBS 6 Nations championship.
Blessed with deceptive strength and slick handling, De Luca more than merited this recognition after forming a formidable centre partnership with Ben Cairns.
Originally an apprentice at Edinburgh, De Luca cut his teeth at the Reivers under Steve Bates and made his debut for the Netherdale team during the opening match of the 2006/2007 Magners League season. A year later, Dumfries-born De Luca, who grew up in Lockerbie, returned to the Scottish capital and made his first appearance in the black and red as a full-back at Leinster in September 2007. His opening try was in the home defeat against Newport Gwent Dragons the following month and he subsequently found himself selected at centre.
De Luca's debut season was marked by memorable try against Toulouse in the Heineken Cup where he stood up the famed Yannick Jauzion to touch down, and he also contributed a spellbinding effort during the dramatic win at Ospreys later on that year.
A former Scotland Sevens internationalist, De Luca is the joint all-time leading try scorer for the Scotland under-21 team. Fittingly, he shares this honour with Cairns.
