Richard Cockerill

After securing a first-ever Guinness Pro14 play-off appearance and a return to European Champions Cup rugby, Cockerill is preparing his side for Saturday’s quarter-final showdown against Munster in Limerick.

However, in the week it was confirmed Sam Hidalgo-Clyne will be leaving for Scarlets in the summer, the coach said he had already raised the possibility with SRU bosses that one avenue for strengthening in the scrum-half position could be provided by Glasgow, who Edinburgh defeated at the weekend to regain the 1872 Cup.

Glasgow currently have Scotland’s top three choices at No.9 in the shape of Ali Price, Henry Pyrgos and George Horne and Cockerill made no secret of the fact he’d like to get one.

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“Yeah, it is sensible too,” he said. “Only two are going to play each week and one won’t be getting any game time. With Horne and Price, they are still very young. Pyrgos is turning 29 and there is a World Cup coming up.

“A bit like [hooker] George Turner going from here l[to Glasgow] last year because there is no point having Ross Ford, Stuart McInally and George Turner.

“It would make sense. There is no point having three national nines in one team. However those are discussions that are in process. Whether anything comes of that then we will see.”

Cockerill reported that full-back Blair Kinghorn has returned after recovering from the bout of food poisoning that kept him out of the 1872 Cup clash.

The coach said his players must now embrace the big occasion after working so hard to get there throughout what has already been a 28-game season.

“Thomond Park’s sold out. They’re a big team, big European side used to the occasions. We’re not, but if we’re good enough to beat Glasgow, we’re good enough to beat Munster,” said Cockerill.