Edinburgh beat Glasgow by double scores to secure semi-final qualification
Nick Groom scored two tries on Scottish rugby’s return to action as Edinburgh beat Glasgow 30-15 to advance their Guinness PRO14 title chances. The victory at BT Murrayfield strengthened Edinburgh’s position at the top of Conference B after sealing qualification for the semi-finals, putting themselves in the driving seat for a home tie in the last four.
Scrum-half Groom scored in between Glasgow tries from Pete Horne and Adam Hastings in an exciting spell before the interval following a naturally slow start to the two teams’ first game in six months.
Warriors held a two-point lead until Groom went over on the hour mark following brilliant wing play from Duhan van der Merwe. Richard Cockerill’s side managed the game well and another scrum-half, Charlie Shiel, put the game out of sight with an individual try.
As well as sealing the 1872 Cup, Edinburgh moved six points clear of Munster ahead of their kick-off against Leinster with a home semi-final very much in their hands ahead of their final game of the regular season, against Glasgow on Friday.
The result extinguished the remote chance Warriors had of making the truncated end-of-season knockout stages. The game was preceded by a minute’s silence for the victims of Covid-19 and to give thanks to key workers, before the two teams came together in a show of solidarity against discrimination.
We've said it before, we'll say it again: don't mess with the @duhanvdmerwe ?
The @EdinburghRugby star only needs one hand to set up @nicgroom ?
?? Watch Live Now on @PremierSportsTV
?? Watch Live Now on @eirSport#GuinnessPRO14 #EDIvGLA pic.twitter.com/dgNxYQHsGT— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) August 22, 2020
The opening stages were unsurprisingly scrappy with most of the 14 penalties conceded in the first half coming before the opening try in the 19th minute. Jaco van der Walt hit two over the posts for Edinburgh in the first six minutes before Hastings reduced the deficit to three points.
Edinburgh were aggrieved ahead of the breakthrough that Warriors were not punished for a forward pass. Fraser Brown kicked forward and Edinburgh were penalised for offside before Hastings fed Horne to go over following a quickly-taken penalty.
A melee followed after Edinburgh skipper Stuart McInally hauled Scotland teammate Hastings to the ground after getting caught up in the celebrations with the Warriors substitutes behind the try line.
Glasgow were awarded a penalty to restart after Hastings converted and Warriors suddenly looked full of energy. But Edinburgh got back on top and Groom went over after a dummy in the 32nd minute following a spell of pressure near the line.
The Warriors responded with their own spell of pressure and possession as Hastings went over four minutes before half-time before hitting the post with his conversion attempt to leave his side’s lead at 15-13.
Edinburgh struggled to get any attacking rhythm immediately after half-time and Hastings missed another chance to extend Glasgow’s lead when he was wide with a 40-metre penalty in front of the posts.
Edinburgh were toiling but Warriors wing Ratu Tagive gifted them possession inside his own half when he needlessly caught a kick forward and ran into touch. He was instantly replaced but Edinburgh kept possession and finally got the ball to Duhan van der Merwe in space on the left.
The South African produced some great handling and an offload to set up Groom for his second try. Van der Walt added a penalty and Shiel scored following a mazy run to seal a significant win for Edinburgh.
"His manner with players, choice of language and truculent nature have caused upset – but results on his watch have been undeniably brilliant"
– @JLyall93 salutes progress of @EdinburghRugby under Richard Cockerill ahead of the @PRO14Official derbies ???https://t.co/hG1nzhqtU7
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 22, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
A long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates live or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is hear and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
2 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
3 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
2 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
28 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to commentsSouth Africa rarely play Ireland and France on these tours. Mostly, England, Scotland and Wales. I wonder why
2 Go to commentsIt was a let’s-see-what-you're-made-of type of a game. The Bulls do look good when the opposition allows them to, but Munster shut them down, and they could not find a way through. Jake should be very worried about their chances in the competition.
2 Go to commentsHats off to Fabian for a very impressive journey to date. Is it as ‘uniquely unlikely’ as Rugby Pass suggests, given Anton Segner’s journey at the Blues?
2 Go to commentsSad that this was not confirmed. When administrators talk about expanding the game they evidently don’t include pathways to the top tier of rugby for teams outside of the old boys club. Rugby deserves better, and certainly Georgia does.
2 Go to commentsLions might take him on if they move on Van Rooyen but I doubt he will want to go back, might consider it a step backwards for himself. Sharks would take him on but if Plumtree goes on to win the challenge cup they will keep him on. Also sharks showing some promising signs recently. Stormers and Bulls are stable and Springboks are already filled up. Quality coach though, interesting to see where he ends up
1 Go to commentsAnd the person responsible for creating a culture of accountability is?
3 Go to commentsMore useless words from Ben Smith -Please get another team to write about. SA really dont need your input, it suck anyway.
264 Go to commentsThis disgraceful episode must result in management and coach team sackings. A new manager with worse results than previous and the coaching staff need to coached. Awful massacre led by donkeys.
1 Go to commentsInteresting article with one glaring mistake. This sentence: “And between the top four nations right now, Ireland, France, South Africa, and New Zealand…” should read: And between the top four nations right now, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand and France…”. Get it right wistful thinkers, its not that hard.
24 Go to commentsHow did Penny get the gig anyway?
3 Go to commentsNice write up Nick and I would have agreed a week ago. However as you would know Cale & co got absolutely monstered by the Blues back row of Sotutu, Ioane and Papaliti and not all of these 3 are guaranteed a start in the Black jumper. He may need to put some kgs before stepping up, Spring tour? After the week end Joe will be a bit more restless. Will need to pick a mobile tough pack for Wales and hope England does the right thing and bashes the ABs. I like your last paragraph but I would bring Swinton, Hannigan into the 6 role and Bobby V to 8
28 Go to comments