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Edinburgh conquer Connacht to maintain unbeaten home run
Edinburgh maintained their unbeaten home run in all competitions when they claimed a well-deserved 41-14 PRO14 bonus-point win over Connacht in tricky conditions at Murrayfield.
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The result keeps Richard Cockerill’s men at the top of Conference B and on track for a play-off spot.
The hosts recorded penalty tries and touchdowns by Simon Berghan, Pierre Schoeman and Duhan Van Der Merwe, plus three conversions and two penalties from Simon Hickey. For the visitors, Tiernan O’Halloran bagged a double and Jack Carty added both conversions.
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A couple of spillages in the opening few minutes offered an insight into the problems created by tricky overhead conditions and the slow start to proceedings continued with a lengthy interruption while Connacht prop Finlay Bealham received treatment before leaving the field.
On the resumption, Edinburgh were handed the first scoring opportunity with a 35-metre penalty, Hickey banging over the kick to open the scoring. A scrum offence 10 minutes later offered the home side a chance to extend the lead and, with the wind at his back, Hickey drilled his effort between the sticks to double the tally.
Connacht had a chance to build some pressure with a penalty that was dispatched into touch close to the home line. However, they failed to secure the subsequent throw and allowed Edinburgh to regain the initiative.
Marland Yarde scored a hat-trick as @SaleSharksRugby moved up to second in the @premrugby table following a dominant 36-3 bonus-point triumph against Leicester.https://t.co/5k3YsdOyyF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 21, 2020
Matt Scott broke from deep and beat five men on his way to the line. There was some doubt over the grounding and the television official confirmed that the Edinburgh centre had failed to touch down. However, he had been thwarted illegally by Carty and the referee awarded a penalty try, sending the Connacht man to the sin bin.
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With Carty preparing to return, Edinburgh finally took advantage of their numerical advantage. A penalty booted into touch five metres shy of the whitewash created the platform for a multi-phase attack that ended with Berghan crashing over and Hickey converting.
Connacht finished the half strongly and opted for the scrum from a close-range penalty. Edinburgh managed to repel a series of pick and drive efforts before O’Halloran found a way over, and Carty converted to complete the first-half scoring.
The visitors came close to bagging a second try when Shane Delahunt charged down a clearance kick and was pipped in the race to the line by Damien Hoyland.
The score was delayed only briefly and another close-range scrum led to an assault on the Edinburgh line that ended with O’Halloran blasting his way over for a second time and Carty again adding the extras to haul Connacht to within a converted try.
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Relegated @Saracens were thrashed 60-10 as hosts @WaspsRugby demolished the reigning @premrugby champions.https://t.co/uk1pJF3PqZ
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 21, 2020
However, the responded with a fresh offensive and the hosts gave themselves some breathing space when Schoeman forced his way over between the posts and Hickey again added the extras.
That sparked a chase for a bonus-point try and it came with 14 minutes to play. From a lineout in the Connacht 22, Edinburgh mounted a sustained attack that stretched the visitors’ defence, allowing Hickey to fire out a long pass to Van Der Merwe who went in at the corner.
Hickey maintained his flawless kicking record when he slotted the conversion but posted his first miss shortly afterwards when he slipped on the run-up to a penalty.
Home winger Eroni Sau was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle and he was joined on the sidelines by his team-mate Nick Haining and Connacht’s Eoghan Masterson after they had traded blows. The visitors were then also reduced to 13 after Conor Fitzgerald tripped Charlie Shiel.
However, that had no impact on the final outcome as, by then, Edinburgh had wrapped up the win in style with a second penalty try of the evening.
– Press Association
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
I hope WRU cops a 12 month ban.
1 Go to commentsOuch. Pumped. Even Nohamba is a better flyhalf than Ford.
2 Go to commentsI hope Leinster’s proud of themselves fielding a poor team. They should decide if they’re all in or not.
2 Go to commentsJordie is looking at 16 games maximum if Leinster reach both the URC and champions cup finals. Thats not guaranteed. Some of those home URC fixtures will be cakewalks as well for Leinster and there is not much doing during the 6 nations in Feb and March so he can probably get a decent rest then. He will have to really put in it for maybe 7 or 8 games max. It should be a good move for both.
13 Go to commentsThe game was a quarter final, not a semi final. Barrett will be here for 6 months, he is no one's replacement at 13. That mantle will most likely ultimately go to Jamie Osborne, though Garry Ringrose has at least 4 more years in him. The long term problem position (in the next 3 years) for Leinster is tighthead prop, though there are a couple of prospects at schools level.
30 Go to commentsSo much for all that hype surrounding the ‘revival’ of Aussie rugby. The Blues were without the likes of regular starters Perofeta, Sullivan, Christie etc… This was a capitulation of the highest order by Australia’s finest. Joe Schmidt definitely has his work cut out for him.
2 Go to commentsYes they can ignore Sotutu. Like Akira Ioane plays OK at Super level but gets lost in tests. Too many chances too many failures.
2 Go to commentsA wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
13 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
13 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
6 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
27 Go to comments