Glasgow Warriors 8 Edinburgh Rugby 16
Report
Edinburgh Rugby completed a festive double over Glasgow Warriors by winning the Scottish Guinness PRO14 derby at Scotstoun on Saturday.
They followed up their home win over the same opponents seven days previously thanks to a powerful performance by the pack, the Glasgow forwards having no answer to their power and clever work at scrum time.
That dominance was rewarded with the four league points and their loosehead prop Pierre Schoeman was named Man of the Match.
And the triumph also means they have won the 1872 Cup with one game still to play at the end of the season.
Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill said: “We deserved to win this game, I thought the guys fronted up really well.
“Only Saracens had won at Scotstoun this season before us so we are in good company and have had a great December.”
Glasgow head coach Dave Rennie said: “We weren’t good enough, it is as simple as that really.
“We did not look after the ball and at this level you can’t afford to do that.”
Edinburgh won a scrum penalty in the fifth minute, stand-off Jaco van der Walt kicking it over as the visitors went 3-0 up.
After a number of attacking phases, which Edinburgh in the main defended well, a penalty was conceded and Warriors stand-off Adam Hastings kicked it to make it 3-3 in the 20th minute.
Following a number of pick and goes near to the Glasgow try line, Edinburgh were awarded a penalty in the 26th minute and van der Walt’s effort made it 6-3.
Six minutes before the break, Edinburgh second-row Ben Toolis barged his way through the Warriors defence and into the ‘22’.
However, a couple of phases later the ball was knocked on by centre Chris Dean and it remained 6-3 at the interval.
Glasgow’s chances of turning things around were dealt a blow at the interval when star man Hogg did not return due to a groin/hip problem and three minutes later centre Alex Dunbar was also forced off injured.
In the 47th minute they were down to 14 men when, after a number of scrum infringements, loosehead prop Oli Kebble was yellow carded.
And Edinburgh made the man advantage count, back-row Viliame Mata going close before skipper Stuart McInally went over for the try.
It was converted by van der Walt and at 13-3 the visitors were in control.
With the home side back up to 15 men, it was still Edinburgh on the front foot and van der Walt kicked another penalty to extend the advantage to 16 points.
A late try came from Glasgow replacement George Horne, but it was Edinburgh’s day.
https://twitter.com/PRO14Official/status/1079056008469798912
Stats
Glasgow Warriors: Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Alex Dunbar, Pete Horne, Niko Matawalu; Adam Hastings, Ali Price; Oli Kebble, Grant Stewart, D’Arcy Rae, Tim Swinson, Jonny Gray, Ryan Wilson, Callum Gibbins, Matt Fagerson. Replacements: Kevin Bryce, Jamie Bhatti, Siua Halanukonuka, Rob Harley, Chris Fusaro, George Horne, Sam Johnson, DTH van der Merwe.
Edinburgh Rugby: Blair Kinghorn; Darcy Graham, James Johnstone, Chris Dean, Duhan van der Merwe; Jaco van der Walt, Henry Pyrgos; Pierre Schoeman, Stuart McInally, WP Nel, Ben Toolis, Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Viliame Mata. Replacements: Dave Cherry, Allan Dell, Pietro Ceccerelli, Callum Hunter-Hill, Luke Crosbie, Nathan Fowles, Simon Hickey, Juan Pablo Socino.
Scorers:
Glasgow Warriors: Try: G Horne (77). Pen: Hastings (20).
Edinburgh Rugby: Try: McInally (50). Pens: van der Walt (5, 26, 60). Con: van der Walt (50).
Yellow cards: Kebble (Glasgow Warriors, 47).
Guinness Man of the Match: Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby).
Referee: George Clancy.
Attendance: 7, 351.
Thanks to Scottish Rugby/SNS for the match images
Scottish Rugby 101 is a compendium of fascinating facts, quotes, stats, stories, personalities and trivia – perfect for all fans of Scottish rugby.
From the very first Test match in 1871 all the way through to the present day, Scottish rugby’s rich history is distilled into 101 facts, stats and stories. This entertaining volume is an instructive, if sometimes irreverent – but always affectionate – guide to some of the groundbreaking firsts, controversies, innovations, characters, achievements and disasters that have shaped the game north of the border. Whether an expert or a novice, this is the perfect companion for those who follow Scotland’s exploits on the field (and may serve as a handy distraction when things inevitably start to go pear-shaped).
Peter Burns is the author of When Lions Roared: The Lions, The All Blacks and the Epic Tour of 1971; Behind the Thistle: Playing Rugby for Scotland; White Gold: England’s Journey to World Cup Glory and Behind the Lions: Playing Rugby for the British & Irish Lions. It’s fair to say he likes rugby.