‘CHEATS’ CAN’T STOP GUNNERS
RUGBY GUINNESS PRO14 ACTION EDINBURGH..17 CONNACHT ..... 10 Cockerill blasts Irish tactics and ref as his Edinburgh side hang on Hogg ankle injury blow for Warriors CHEETAHS V GLASGOW
illegally tapping the ball out of the hands of Henry Pyrgos.
And seconds later winger Duhan van der Merwe skipped over to break the deadlock, with van der Walt converting.
Edinburgh stepped up the pace in the build-up to the interval and van der Walt added a stoppage-time penalty.
They continued to dominate after the restart and van der Merwe should have scored again. He latched on to a Blair Kinghorn pass but the ball slipped from his grasp just before he reached the line. However, almost immediately prop Pierre Schoeman was driven over by his pack mates.
Van der Walt’s kick opened up a 17-point gap, only for Connacht to snatch a try through Niyi Adeolokun with their first real raid of the match.
Matt Carty’s conversion set up a tense final quarter. The away side kept on attacking and when Carty clipped over a penalty Gunners were under real pressure. But they held on. STUART HOGG has been ruled out of Warriors’ crucial Pro14 clash in South Africa today with an ankle injury.
The Lions and Scotland full-back has failed to shake off the knock he suffered in last weekend’s triumph over Munster.
Ruaridh Jackson will fill the No.15 role in tonight’s showdown against Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Warriors boss Dave Rennie said: “Hoggy’s problem is not serious but there was no point in taking any risks with him at this stage of the season.
“The aim is to carry on where we left off against Munster. We beat Cheetahs here last term but this will be a tougher challenge.”
Scrum half Ali Price will make his first start of the season against Cheetahs, while fit-again centre Alex Dunbar returns.
There is just one change to a pack that outpowered Munster. Scott Cummings is at lock, which allows Rob Harley to move to his blindside flank berth.