Edinburgh edge game of two halves at Scotstoun

EDINBURGH fought back from 19-7 down at half-time to defeat Glasgow Warriors 19-21 in yesterday’s closed-doors “A” team match at Scotstoun, with the strong wind a crucial factor in it being a game of two halves.

Warriors used the game as an opportunity to test out several different line-ups, using 30 senior squad and academy players over the course of the match, while Edinburgh treated the match much more like a traditional match.

Scotland cap Damien Hoyland marked his return to action for the first time since injuring his ankle in October by going over for the capital outfit’s first points, which Nathan Chamberlain converted, but apart from that it was pretty much one-way traffic during he opening 40.

Tongan back-row Fotu Lokotui, Scotland capped tight-head prop D’arcy Rae and former Australian schoolboys scrum-half Jordan Lenac, who is on a training contract with Warriors and was supposed to play for Ayrshire Bulls in Super6 this season all crossed for the home team before the turnaround.

Kiwi hooker Sam Kitchen, who joined Edinburgh on a partnership contract with Ayrshire Bulls in June, carried on his prolific try-scoring exploits from Super6 to start the away team’s comeback after the break, Australian recruit Charlie Savala converted to make it 14-19, then Fiji internationalist Mesulame Kunavula tied the match with a 20-yard charge to the line, before Savala hit a late penalty to secure victory.

“The weather conditions weren’t brilliant,” said Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill. “We were playing into a headwind in the first-half. But in the second-half we played some decent rugby.

“In the end a draw would have probably been a fairer result but it’s always nice to get the win.”