One step forward, half-astep back for Edinburgh
CARDIFF 7 EDINBURGH 24
Edinburgh took another step towards the URC playoffs with this victory in Cardiff, but half-a-step back by not adding a bonus point once the game was won.
It moves them into the top eight places, while keeping an eye on other results, but the race remains incredibly close even though this was a banana skin avoided.
A key decision was the take points with a penalty as the game went into the final quarter, but securing the victory was vital even if that bonus point remained elusive in the final minutes.
“It was a great away win for us, this was a good win under the pressures we are under so I am delighted for the boys,” said Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt.
“At the same time we are probably disappointed that we did not get a bonus point, but we just need to keep winning and if we do that then it will be enough.
“We are in a bit of a pressure cooker, but it is no different to where we have been in Europe this season.
“We have to win every game to finish as high as we can, the guys know what they have to do but we are also getting players back from injury week to week so we are a team in the rise.
“We have a bit of a break after a tough six weeks, with trips to South Africa twice, so then coming down to Cardiff to get the win the guys have done exceptionally well and could not have done more.
“We knew that Cardiff were going to bring a lot of emotion to the game, they have been on the wrong end of the scoreboard several times with nine losing bonus points through the season and saying goodbye to some stalwarts of the club.
“It was frustrating in the first half, but we knew if we stuck to our task we could get over the line and that is exactly what we did in the second half even though we had the yellow card.
“A bonus point would have put us fifth, but it is only one point though that could count later.
“The league is crazy, we are on 43 points and lying seventh, it is weird but it makes for good competition.”
Edinburgh had the better of the opening half hour but little to show for it. However, when you are struggling to finish moves off near the line there is one player you look for to change things – prop Pierre Schoeman.
He duly obliged with a trademark charge from a yard or two, reaching out over the line for the opening score which turned out to be the only scoreboard action of the first half.
Cardiff had coach Matt Sherratt unable to go onto the pitch as he had a one game touch line ban for his “interaction” with Scottish referee Mike Adamson after their narrowly lose in Ulster.
As he took up his normal position in the coaching box it was hardly the harshest of punishments.
One player who soon was on the touch line was Edinburgh wing Duhan van der Merwe for a high tackle on Theo Cabango.
Cardiff immediately took advantage with a lineout peel which saw prop Rhys Carre bursting through for their first try.
Edinburgh hit back with a lineout drive finished off by hooker Ewen Ashman, Ben Healy converting and then extending the lead with a penalty.
Victory was sealed by replacement prop Boan Venter channelling his inner-Schoeman from close-range to dive over.