**The new season has not even started but Edinburgh are already on the back foot, with key forward Bill Mata ruled out for up to eight weeks.** The 28-year-old faces [surgery after damaging ankle ligaments](https://www.planetrugby.com/edinburgh-lose-bill-mata-to-injury-for-eight-weeks/ )in their Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat to Bordeaux earlier this month. Edinburgh are set to face Ospreys in their opening Guinness PRO14 game of the season and Mata will also miss their Round 2 fixture with Munster, as well as the Autumn Nations Cup. “He will probably be six to eight weeks with that, meaning he will miss the first two rounds of the PRO14 with us then the international period with Fiji,” said head coach Richard Cockerill. “Once he has surgery we’ll know more, it may be shorter, it may be longer but roughly it will be six to eight weeks. “It’s tough. He has been playing very well. We know Bill is pivotal to ourselves so it’s disappointing. “We’ve got good cover with Nick Haining and Magnus Bradbury. They are good number eights so we’re not short in the back row but certainly for Edinburgh and Fiji that will be a blow.” In Wales, Cardiff Blues head coach John Mulvihill is hoping they can [return to their Arms Park home in time for Christmas.](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/54342927 ) The Blues played their final home game of the 19-20 season at Rodney Parade, the home of the Dragons, while their venue was being used a field hospital by the NHS.
