Dreich spell continues

Losing streak extends to nine games as Duncan Hodge’s side are gunned down yet again in Italy. Lewis Stuart reports

THERE was no sign of an end to Edinburgh’s dreadful run as their losing streak extended to nine matches since defeating Saracens in January by going down to their second defeat of the season in Italy.

Though there had been some heavy rain in the afternoon, it had cleared to typically dreich Scottish conditions by the time the game started, the wet conditions making handling a tricky affair, and both sides made it clear early on that they were going to treat this as a tactical battle.

The result was an early kicking duel almost entirely between the two 22s with neither team able to make much of the ball being booted to them – probably just what you would have expected from a basement battle between two sides short on confidence.

Duncan Hodge’s visitors were the first to get some pressure, but could not make it into the 22 before squandering the opportunity with a pointless kick. Treviso, meanwhile, were happy to defend as play moved steadily back into Edinburgh territory.

It had to be a mistake that broke the pattern, and it came from Treviso who kicked straight to Damien Hoyland, the Edinburgh wing, who had space to race back against a disorganised chase. Though he was caught, Edinburgh should have made more of the chance, having to settle instead for a Jason Tovey penalty.

The lead did not last long. The Italians won the ball back from the kick-off then won a soft penalty at a ruck, with Ian McKinley, the home fly half, levelling the score.

Scots inattention under another high ball soon handed the home side another chance to kick at goal, this time when the scrum went down, and the Italians duly obliged with another penalty and the lead for the home side.

It was quickly a whole lot worse. Eduardo Gori, the scrum-half, came up with almost an action replay of Hoyland’s break but instead of being tackled, he kicked ahead and forced the Scots to carry over their own line. The first scrum went up in the air, the second was driven straight over the line by the Italians to hand No 8 Roberto Barbieri the opening try.

Although they had probably had as much of the game as the Italians, the scrum problems had cost Edinburgh the lead at the break and meant they were going to have to rely on another stirring comeback to rescue the game.

But there was no sign of that at the start of the second half as they conceded a third kickable penalty almost straight from the restart, and then had to resist a period of home pressure before a turnover under their posts allowed them to work the ball clear. Again, they should have had more from a cleverly created break by Phil Burleigh. Had his attempted offload gone to hand, it was a certain try for Glenn Bryce, but even though it was intercepted it was still a scrum five. Unlike the Italians, though, Edinburgh did not have the scrum power to turn it into a try and had to settle for a second Tovey penalty.

That was never going to be enough, and was quickly exposed when Treviso hammered downfield from the restart and, after Gori had again broken through, spun the call wide where Angelo Esposito was in place to run in the score. It was nearly worse – a TMO verdict the only thing stopping Luca Sperandio getting a third.