The effects of the budget freeze on Edinburgh mean that the team faces the prospect going into next season without a single overseas professional.

The last two non-Scots at the club confirmed yesterday that they will be retiring at the end of the season, Ben Gissing, the lock, to move into coaching while Ben Meyer, the scrum half, is hoping to get a job as a development officer in his native New Zealand. Unless there are overseas signings in the pipeline, it means that Edinburgh will become the only one-nation squad in the top rank of European professional rugby.

After two seasons where Andy Robinson, the coach, has signed only Scotland-qualified players, the challenge for next season will be to show that the development system can produce the leaders and decision-makers to move the team up to the next level.

On the downside, the Scarlets in South Wales also confirmed yesterday that they had signed Sean Lamont, the Scotland wing, who had been linked with a move to Edinburgh. After four years at Northampton, it has been obvious that he had moved beyond any salary that Edinburgh were willing and able to offer.