Fullback 'delighted' with Edinburgh deal
Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:40
Jim Thompson admits he has a strong affinity with Edinburgh and the Scotland A fullback revealed he was thrilled to have agreed a new two year contract with the Murrayfield-based team.
The 25-year-old, formerly with Heriot's and the National Academy, has scored two tries in fourteen appearances for Edinburgh.
When Thompson signed professional forms in the summer of 2008, he followed in the footsteps of his uncle Alan Lawson and cousin Rory by representing Edinburgh and he is proud of continuing that family tradition.
Thompson said: "I've lived in Edinburgh since I was six, so it is my home city and it is great two members of my family have played for the team as well.
"It is fantastic to keep that tradition going; I really want to be part of a successful Edinburgh team.
"I'm delighted to have been offered a new deal and now I'm looking forward to the next two years with Edinburgh.
"Everyone in the team wants to win silverware, so I will try and do my best to help Edinburgh to achieve that this season and next year as well."
A highly-rated back, Thompson was the only ever present during Scotland A's IRB Nations Cup triumph in Bucharest last June and has also been invited to train with the national squad.
But his aspirations of chalking up a regular sequence of starts for Edinburgh or receive a potential call-up into the Scotland Test side were blighted by a knee injury which kept him out until November.
He added: "It was frustrating that I missed the start of the season, but it was great to eventually get a chance and I'm glad I've performed well in the games I've started in.
"It would be great if we could win the Magners League Final this season - that is the goal.
"But we need to concentrate on one game at a time, start scoring some tries and build up some momentum.
"Once you get that momentum going then it really helps to keep you moving forward. Last season we won our final six games in a row and, if we can do that again, it would be a memorable achievement."
Edinburgh's regular fullback Chris Paterson has been ruled out for at least eight weeks after injuring his kidney while on Six Nations duty for Scotland at Wales last month.
As a result, Thompson, Edinburgh's only other recognised fullback, could potentially get a run of starts under his belt and the former Scotland Sevens internationalist says he wants to seize his chance.
He said: "What happened to Mossy [Paterson] in Wales was terrible. Now I realise that I have to step up in order to get involved and when I am selected I need to do as well as I can in order to keep my place.
"My main position is fullback and that is where I want to play. But the occasions when I have played on the wing have been enjoyable."
Head coach Rob Moffat welcomed the news that Thompson has followed in the footsteps of Paterson, Mike Blair, Allan Jacobsen, Greig Laidlaw and Steve Turnbull by extending his stay with Edinburgh.
Moffat said: "Jim has shown in his last few games how much potential he has got. Now it is important that he realises that potential and it is up to him to get into the Edinburgh team and then play consistently well.
"It has been frustrating for him with the injury problems he had at the start of the season, but now he has a good chance to have a strong finish to the campaign."
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