Ref's wrist gets a workout as Scottish Glasgow-Edinburgh derby descends into card-fest

Glasgow secured a crucial derby victory over Edinburgh to hand a major boost to their Guinness PRO14 hopes.

Victory ended a run of two successive home losses, in an ill-tempered game where referee Ben Blain handed out five yellow cards.

Ruaridh Jackson and George Turner of Glasgow and Viliame Mata, Stuart McInally and Nic Groom of Edinburgh were all carded.

It was a setback for Edinburgh whose recent form had been superior, winning their last six games on the trot.

A nip and tuck first half ended 6-6 with Adam Hastings kicking two penalties and Simon Hickey doing the same for Edinburgh.

The second half continued in the same mode with a penalty from Hickey edging Edinburgh ahead.

But the match came alive in the last fifteen minutes. Glasgow produced the first try with Ali Price sent in by Sam Johnson.

Edinburgh fullback Blair Kinghorn then went over in the corner. However, Glasgow got the winner with a line out surge finished by George Turner. Hastings and Jaco Van Der Walt kicked the conversions.

Glasgow’s Hastings struck first in just six minutes. A loose pass from visiting prop Pierre Schoeman saw Glasgow pile ruthlessly into Edinburgh to produce a penalty.

In 21 minutes, the Glasgow line out misfired, Edinburgh were only held out by Glasgow law-breaking allowing Hickey to tie the scores.

Seven minutes later, the usually deadly Kiwi hit a post but his third penalty attempt in 30 minutes put his side ahead.

This award was confirmed by a long study of the TMO evidence by referee Blain, after Edinburgh speedster Darcy Graham had chipped ahead and then clashed with Glasgow fullback Jackson, who was shown a yellow card.

Glasgow dominated the final ten minutes with Hastings kicking a long penalty.

In fifty minutes the third yellow card was produced by Mr Blain. This time it was Edinburgh captain McInally who left the field following a tackle to the head of Glasgow’s Fraser Brown – his rival for the international hooker berth. Brown also left, to be assessed and did not return.

Card number four followed on 57 minutes, Glasgow replacement hooker George Turner was the guilty man and Hickey put the long penalty over to edge Edinburgh ahead.

The first try and a cracking one arrived in 65 minutes. The scorer was sub scrumhalf Price under the posts, sent in by centre Sam Johnson after a Hastings chip.

Edinburgh retook the lead with a sweeping move finished by fullback Kinghorn for Van Der Walt to convert from touch.

However back came Glasgow. Edinburgh’s Groom was sin-binned and, from a line out, the home pack surged over with Turner scoring and Hastings converting.

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