RUGBY ace Tom Brown has his sights set on playing a big role in Edinburgh Rugby’s 2018/19 season, as their Guinness Pro14 campaign kicks off tomorrow (Friday).

The once-capped Scotland international, a former pupil at North Berwick’s Law Primary School, is looking forward to the coming campaign, having suffered a season-ending hamstring injury last November.

He made his comeback in the pre-season loss to Bath earlier this month, and last Friday lined up on the wing as Edinburgh recorded a 13-23 win over Newcastle Falcons.

And the 27-year-old, speaking at a Mitsubishi Motors event, said: “The summer has been good, coming off the back of a hamstring injury.

“I tore my hamstring, a full hamstring evulsion back in November which required surgery.

“It was a tough year last year, personally.

“It was great to see the club really progressing and great to be in an environment where we’re winning – that made the recovery process easier.

“It’s been a good summer and a good pre-season and off-season so we’re ready and raring to go for the season ahead.”

While he recovered from the hamstring injury that limited him to only six appearances last term, Brown turned to his other passion – flying planes.

Brown’s long-term ambition is to become a commercial pilot.

He added: “I’ve got a few things going on off the field.

“I’m doing my flying, my PPL (private pilot licence), I’m nearly qualified now so it’s brilliant to take your focus onto something else, particularly when you can’t do a whole lot around here.

“To put your focus on something else and set goals outside rugby is a huge advantage for me to have during the rehab process.

“I love the flying, it’s something I’d like to go into down the line.

“To get into commercial flying would be a dream for me to do but that’s in the future.

“Now rugby is the priority and it’s great to be back fit again.”

And the Edinburgh centurion is also pleased to see the club return to the top tier of European rugby in the Heineken Champions Cup.

Brown added: “As a club, it’s where we should be, mixing it up against some good teams. It goes to show where the club is now and an exciting team to be involved with.”

Brown reflected on his “best memory” of his time at Edinburgh – a Heineken Cup quarter-final win over four-times champions Toulouse at Murrayfield in 2012 in front of a then-record crowd of 37,881.

He added: “That’s where I felt the club should have been for the past five or six years that we’ve not been in the top tier. So to be back there is a huge bonus.”

l Tom Brown was speaking on behalf of Mitsubishi Motors, proud sponsors of Edinburgh Rugby.