Edinburgh Rugby made it two bonus point wins from two in the Celtic Challenge on Saturday and are top of the standings while Glasgow Warriors are still looking for their first win of 2024/25 after a defeat on the road…
The matches…
Edinburgh had defeated Glasgow Warriors in their competition opener just before Christmas 63-15 and while this performance against Welsh side Brython Thunder, also at Hive Stadium, did perhaps not hit the attacking heights of that one, they still got the job done.
They won it 22-15 and, after a slow start, No.8 Samaanther Taganekurukuru, who was born in Fiji and moved to St Andrews in 2015 and took up rugby at Howe of Fife a few years ago and was one of the star performers in this one, scored the first try.
Winger Hannah Walker, one of the vice-captains to back-rower Alex Stewart alongside hooker Aila Ronald, bagged the second try and her fourth of the tournament to put Edinburgh 10-0 up.
And it was 17-0 at half-time after fellow winger Cieron Bell went over with centre Lucy MacRae converting.
Edinburgh looked in control at that stage, but credit to Thunder who pulled two tries back to make it 17-10 before Bell’s second in the last 10 minutes for the hors the four try bonus. Bell now has four tries in the event too.
Glasgow went down 48-7 defeat to last year’s champions Wolfhounds in Belfast on Saturday.
They were 36-0 down at half-time before rallying, but only had a try by captain Ailie Tucker and a conversion by centre Briar McNamara to show by the end of it.
What they said…
Edinburgh head coach Claire Cruikshank said: “I thought our back-row performed well as did a number of other players including Aila Ronald who is starting to show good leadership qualities.
“I thought we managed that really well in the first half. Our contact area was excellent, but we’ve got to keep that up for 80 minutes. We can’t switch off like we did in the second half.
“However, it’s building blocks, it’s only game two. There are definitely some positives to take into the next game and two bonus point wins from two is pleasing.”
Glasgow Warriors vice-captain Holland Bogan said: “We definitely still have room to grow and improve but our group is new and hasn’t played with each other a lot. We showed a lot of heart in the second half but it wasn’t enough to close the gap.
“When we had the ball we played with intent, moved it about and tried different things. We need to keep improving on our defence to allow us a better platform to get off the line and try win the ball back.
“The fine margins cost us the game and we are all frustrated. We know we can play better. We are building week by week and are giving it our all and we will improve.”
Three things that caught the eye…
- Edinburgh bringing physicality: They said before the match that they were expecting a physical battle against Thunder and they got that and rose to the challenge which bodes well going forward.
- Replacement props making impact for Edinburgh: Both players are new to this level, but in both games so far sub props Talei Tawake and Hannah McMahon have co me on, carried hard and looked at home at Hive Stadium.
- Tough away run to start for Glasgow: They have already been beaten by Edinburgh and the Wolfhounds and now, this coming Sunday, they will be in Wales to take on Gwalia Lightning. This is a tough run for any team at the start of an event, let alone one that did not win a game last term.
What’s next…
Edinburgh will head to Vergin Media Park in Cork on Saturday, January 11 to take on third placed Clovers.
The CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, Wales, will be the venue at 1pm on Sunday as fourth placed Gwalia Lightning host sixth placed Glasgow Warriors.
Teams from the most recent matches…
Edinburgh Rugby: Lucia Scott; Cieron Bell, Giselle Chicot, Lucy MacRae, Hannah Walker; Hannah Ramsay, Rhea Clarke; Alison Wilson, Aila Ronald, Molly Poolman, Adelle Ferrie, Natasha Logan, Merryn Gunderson, Alex Stewart (captain), Samaanther Taganekurukuru. Subs: Kaylee Fraser, Talei Tawake, Hannah McMahon, Lucy Christie, Charlotte Fosbeary, Pip Benson, Sarah Denholm, Lisa Brown.
Glasgow Warriors: Sky Phimster; Abi Evans, Orla Proctor, Briar McNamara, Grace Deane; Ceitidh Ainsworth, Mairi McDonald; Ailie Tucker (captain), Megan Hyland, Katie Lindsay, Holland Bogan, Aisha Zameer, Erinn Foley, Gemma Bell, Emily Coubrough. Subs: Aicha Sutcliffe, Alex Ward, Louise Downie, Rowann Sinclair, Freya Walker, Mary Nelson, Poppy Mellanby, Izzy McGuire Evans.
Thanks to N50 Photography for the main image of Natasha Logan in action for Edinburgh on Saturday and thanks to Glasgow Warriors for their image from Belfast
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