Solomons: Gilchrist is a model skipper

The 24-year-old lock took over the GUINNESS PRO12 side when regular captain Mike Coman was injured in last week's European clash with Bordeaux-Begles.

He was then named as Scotland's skipper for the matches against Argentina, New Zealand and Tonga earlier this week having captained the side twice on their summer tour.

And Solomons heaped praise on his second-row star ahead of their next European encounter with Lyon, insisting that he is the perfect leader on the field.

"He took over the side when Mike went off and I thought he did a magnificent job," he told the Edinburgh Evening News. "Clearly he is a good captain, there is no question about that.

"I can fully understand Vern giving him the honour of leading Scotland because he did a very good job on the summer tour and he wants some continuity there.

"I think he is a fantastic player, he leads by example. I think he is a good guy as well and he has got the respect of the players, so I think he has a very bright future ahead of him.

"He has a very hard edge and calls it as it is. He is a good bloke and I am really sure that he is going to do well in these autumn internationals.

"I am sure he will do a good job, not only of leading the side but also as a player. I think he speaks intelligently and he leads from the front."

Edinburgh have hit a purple patch of late, following up the 24-10 win over Newport Gwent Dragons in the GUINNESS PRO12 with a bonus point victory over London Welsh in their European opener.

Solomons added that the results have made a huge difference in his team, and hopes they can put in a similar performance against Lyon this evening.

He said: "That win against Newport has generated a certain amount of confidence and you can see that. We need to perform well and that confidence helps.

"The win last week with everything that went with it - I thought that was exceptional.

"Lyon tend to be very attack orientated. They look more like a tempo side and a ball-in-hand type of side. Any Top 14 team is a good team, and to back up last week's result would be fantastic for us."

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