Edinburgh beat odds in Italy

EDINBURGH dealt with pre-match disruption and a red and yellow card during the game to defeat Zebre.

Head coach Richard Cockerill, full-back Blair Kinghorn and a club physio did not travel to Italy following a delay in their Covid-19 test results, subsequently confirmed to be negative.

Assistant coach Calum MacRae took charge of the team and saw his stand-off Jaco van der Walt kick them into a fifth minute lead. Zebre stand-off Carlo Canna equalised with a penalty of his own before Edinburgh loosehead Pierre Schoeman appeared to block Zebre No.8 Renato Giammarioli off the ball.

The home player went off injured, but after the referee consulted the TMO, just a penalty was awarded.

Edinburgh scored the opening try in the 34th minute when a long clearance kick by centre Mark Bennett was not dealt with by the Zebre defence. Winger Jamie Farndale collected the ball and fed Bennett who scored under the posts. Van der Walt converted for 10-3 at the break.

Zebre second row Mick Kearney barged over for a try in the 44th minute, converted by Canna, to level things up.

Two Van der Walt penalties gave Edinburgh the lead again at 16-10 before the cards arrived.

First Edinburgh’s tighthead WP Nel saw yellow for not rolling away on the hour mark then, ten minutes later, Edinburgh replacement George Taylor was sent off for a dangerous tackle after his shoulder connected with the head of Zebre substitute Antonio Rizzi.

Edinburgh not only held on but added ten points. Van der Walt kicked a penalty and, in the dying seconds, converted a try scored by Farndale.