Edinburgh Reivers coach Ian Rankin has warned that more of his stars face the axe if they start to coast towards the end of the season.

With the Scottish Super District's Heineken Cup campaign at an end, the Reivers must now concentrate their efforts on the remainder of their Celtic League programme.

Tomorrow's clash with Dunvant at Inverleith is hardly the type of fixture to get the pulses racing with the start of the Six Nations Championship just a week away.

But Rankin has been ruthless in his team selection, dumping prop Matthew Proudfoot, scrum-half Ian Fairley and winger Conan Sharman from the side massacred by Glasgow Caledonians eight days ago.

Sharman's fall from grace is the most dramatic. He was being talked up as a possible full international following his Heineken Cup hat-trick against Neath at the Gnoll. Three months later he cannot even find a place in the Reivers side.

"Players must recognise that it is no longer enough to play well once a month," said Rankin.

"In a professional game you have to produce consistent performances and raise your overall level.

"We were very disappointed with what happened last week and the changes are a result of that defeat."

Rankin has sensed a renewed vigour in training as, with more enticing encounters against Cardiff, Swansea and Newport still in front of them, the Reivers focus on a place in the top half of the table.

"Once they got over the disappointment at what happened against the Reds, the attitude and application has been excellent," said Rankin, who is without shoulder-injury victim Martin Leslie.

"Dunvant may not be the most high profile team in the competition but they have improved during their uropean campaign and we are expecting a tough match.

"ut these are the type of games we hould be winning and I am expecting nothing less."