Edinburgh’s John Houston is determined to lay down another marker in the No.12 shirt at Ulster on Friday night – and keep Scottish international Nick de Luca kicking his heels in frustration on the sidelines.

De Luca was one of the star performers in Edinburgh’s push to second place in the Magners League last season but has found his route to the first XV blocked by in-form Houston.

And 26-year-old Houston – who performed for Scotland in the Nations Cup – admits it is a pleasant reversal of roles after spending a lot of last season in De Luca’s position.

“There is obviously a lot of pressure coming from Nick, who is a quality player, so I've got a real battle on my hands to keep a hold of the jersey.

“I’m happy enough playing on the wing but I much prefer playing inside centre and I’m delighted to be getting a run there at the moment.

“It was the other way around last season so I know what it is like to be in his shoes. Training is pretty interesting at the moment because he is obviously doing everything he can to put himself out there, and it is up to me to deal with that and try to keep myself in the frame.”