British and Irish Lions star Mike Blair has retained the Edinburgh captaincy after helping fire them to a second-place Magners League finish last season.

The scrum-half captained Scotland during last season’s Six Nations Championship and has confirmed he is ready to take on the domestic role.

Edinburgh’s new head coach Rob Moffat had stated that he wanted to speak to Blair before finalising an appointment but with the 28-year-old keen he was unveiled today.

Simon Cross will also retain the club captaincy with Allister Hogg, Blair’s vice skipper.

Blair said: “I’m delighted to be asked to captain Edinburgh again. I enjoyed being captain last year and I think we are building a good core of leaders within the squad. That makes my job easier.

“We have improved over the past two years and now we want to improve again.”

And Cross was quick to echo Blair’s emotions regarding his own reappointment.

“It is a role that I’m enormously proud to have and I need to make sure I’m giving Mike the necessary support," said Cross.

“I see myself as an ambassador for the club, but also to aid Mike in all of the off-the-field duties.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have been club captain for the past two seasons and I’m delighted to have been asked to do it again.”