patgadd wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:17 am
Reading the story of Cockers at Edinburgh inevitably leads to revelations about the sorry mess they had become under one A. Solomons before Cockers arrived.
Thats a fair point to examine further. The wiki summary of Solly’s time at Edinburgh reads:-
Alan Solomons, formerly the coach of Western Province, Stormers, Ulster and more recently Super Rugby team the Kings, was appointed as Head Coach at the end of July 2013.[41] Stevie Scott and Omar Mouneimne were appointed as Assistant Coaches.
Solomons' first season at the club was treated largely as a rebuilding period, with several players departing and replacements coming in. The league campaign culminated in an eighth-place finish.[42] [they were 11th in the preceding season]
2014–15 saw Edinburgh again finishing eighth, albeit with ten points and three victories more than the previous season. While the pre-season target of a top six finish wasn't achieved, there were other reasons to consider the campaign a success. The first came over the festive period when the team beat Glasgow Warriors over two legs to win the inter-city 1872 Cup for the first time in six seasons. After going down 16–6 in the first encounter at Scotstoun Stadium, the Murrayfield men turned the tables with a 20–8 victory in the return leg, with Tim Visser notching two first-half tries, to bring the trophy back to the capital for the first time since 2009. As the season reached its final stages, Edinburgh's excellent European form took them to within touching distance of more silverware.
Solomons left the club in September 2016 following a poor start to the season.”
End Quote
Not quite sure I’d see that as a “sorry mess”.