Henson on target but Dragons fade
EDINBURGH head coach Richard Cockerill insists there is a lot more to come from his side after their bonus point victory over the Dragons on Friday night.
Edinburgh eventually won 35-18 at Myreside, but the game was in the balance until five minutes from time.
Cockerill’s men have now won two from two and he said:
“Obviously it is great to get the win, but I was disappointed with the errors we made and we must improve on that.
“The team spirit impressed me though.”
His opposite number Bernard Jackman said: “We were sluggish in defence at times and paid the penalty.”
The Welsh side got off to good start and in the tenth minute earned a penalty which stand-off Gavin Henson dispatched.
Henson then kicked a neat drop goal five minutes later to double the advantage.
However, it was not all positives for the Dragons and by the 17th minute they had lost scrum-half Charlie Davies and centre Sam Beard to injury.
Edinburgh needed something to spark them into life and moments later they had some points on the board thanks to a penalty by stand-off Duncan Weir.
A great run by young full-back Blair Kinghorn helped Edinburgh win another penalty, Weir kicking it to make it 6-6 after 26 minutes.
Edinburgh had their tails up and it was no surprise when they scored the game’s first try just after the half hour.
Centre Chris Dean burst through a gap and flipped a lovely inside pass to Kinghorn for the converted score.
After a lengthy TMO exchange Weir was yellow carded for reckless use of the boot in a ruck and the Dragons had a man advantage leading into the break.
Just before half-time, Henson kicked a second penalty and the match was poised at 13-9.
Edinburgh saw out the remaining minutes of the sin bin without conceding any more points and in the 48th minute they bagged their second try.
It came from scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne after replacement Junior Rasolea sent Kingorn through a gap with the fullback setting up the No.9. Weir converted to make it 20-9.
Henson’s third penalty made it 20-12 before the Dragons looked to have scored a try.
Winger Hallam Amos tapped back a cross-field kick to No.8 Harrison Keddie who went over, but the referee Stuart Berry checked with the TMO.
And a good tackle by Edinburgh winger Hoyland was shown to have seen his opposite number put a foot in touch.
On the hour mark Henson’s fourth penalty made it 20-15 and the game was still very much in the balance.
A fifth Henson penalty made it 20-18 before Edinburgh livened things up again with their pace of play, a Weir penalty in the 67th minute making it 23-18.
That speed in attack then brought Edinburgh’s third try, debutante Robbie Fruean setting up fellow centre Rasolea for the unconverted score with ten minutes to go.
Fruean grabbed himself a try and the bonus point for Edinburgh, crashing through under the posts. Weir converted to round off proceedings at 35-18.
For the victors back-row Jamie Ritchie was a nuisance at the breakdown and just pipped Kinghorn to the man of the match award.