Red letter day as Edinburgh get off to a flyer at home
EDINBURGH 26 SCARLETS 22 EDINBURGH got the Mike Blair era off to a winning start yesterday – but they had to fight all the way against a Scarlets side who can count themselves unfortunate to take only a losing bonus point from the game. It was a committed, attacking performance from both teams, and augurs well for the season ahead.
Head coach Blair – taking charge of the team for the first time in a competitive match – had gone for an attacking line- up to kick off the new United Rugby Championship season. And he got his reward with a fine performance from Blair Kinghorn, who was playing at stand- off instead of his usual position of full- back.
The big man scored his team’s first try and was always a threat, while winger Darcy Graham and scrum- half Ben Vellacott were even more effective. And the victory was all the sweeter because it came after Edinburgh had been under the cosh for much of the first half.
The home side went behind after a dozen minutes when Scotland international Blade Thomson came into the line and laid on the scoring pass for Steff Evans. Dan Jones’s conversion was wide.
The home side hardly got out of their own half in the first quarter, but they steadily began to exert more pressure, and took the lead after 25 minutes. Solid work by Bill Mata set up the platform, and a one- two between Kinghorn and centre Mark Bennett ended with the stand- off crossing by the posts. Kinghorn converted too, putting his side in front when they might easily have been behind by a score or two.
Edinburgh soon stretched their lead, with Bennett this time touching down after good work by scrum- half Ben Vellacott. Kinghorn’s conversion made it 14- 5.
A Dan Jones penalty reduced the lead by three points, but Edinburgh then claimed try No 3 in the last minute of the half. Vellacott snaffled the ball from the base of a ruck, Mata took it on, and then Darcy Graham seized possession and burst free of three would- be tacklers to score. Kinghorn’s conversion attempt was off target this time, but a 19- 8 half- time lead was far better than Edinburgh could have expected after their difficult opening quarter.
Scarlets thought they had got a try back early in the second half when Steff Evans slid in at the left corner under Graham’s tackle, but a replay showed the winger had put a foot in touch before he got the ball down. There were no doubts after 50 minutes, however, when Kieran Hardy raced through a gap between Bennett and Pierre Schoeman to touch down. Dan Jones’ conversion made it a fourpoint game.
Graham hit back with a brilliant break, giving Edinburgh a try bonus point.
Kinghorn converted, and that gave Edinburgh an
11- point. But with 15 minutes to play it was cut to four points again when Johnny Mcnicholl finished off on the right and substitute Sam Costelow added the conversion.
Jaco van der Walt came on for Kinghorn as Edinburgh tried to close the match down. The last few minutes were nervy, but Blair’s team held on to get their season off to an excellent start.