Pro14: Edinburgh 3-15 Glasgow Warriors
- Published
Edinburgh made 10 changes for the return match against Glasgow, their semi-final position already secured
Pro14: Edinburgh v Glasgow Warriors |
|---|
Edinburgh (3) 3 |
Pen: Chamberlain |
Glasgow (7) 15 |
Tries: Brown, Tagive Con: Hastings Pen: Hastings |
Glasgow Warriors "deserved" their 15-3 Pro14 win on Friday but Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill says the dead rubber was useful preparation for next weekend's semi-final against Ulster.
Warriors' season ended on a high at Murrayfield as tries by Fraser Brown and Ratu Tagive helped Danny Wilson to his first win as Glasgow head coach.
It was the first sporting event in Scotland with fans since lockdown.
"It was a pretty average game full-stop," Cockerill told BBC Scotland.
"We have to look to the bigger picture of next Saturday and a semi-final."
On the face of it, there was nothing tangible on the line. But beneath the surface there was a number of reasons for players on both sides to front up.
Chief among them was the return of 700 fans to the stadium but, further, it was an opportunity for Edinburgh's players to audition for a role in that showdown with Ulster.
Fraser Brown's try was a rare highlight in the first half at Murrayfield
"Getting Nick Haining a full 80 minutes - and Magnus Bradbury and Darcy Graham are important for next week. They will be involved in some shape or form," said Cockerill.
"We've been in two quarter finals against Munster and we've come just short. We've got to learn those lessons so it's time for us to step up."
Cockerill's men trailed after just nine minutes, as Scotland hooker Brown marked his 100th Warriors appearance by peeling off the back on a rolling maul and blasting through the tackles of Nathan Chamberlain and Hamish Watson to power over.
Watson almost responded after a searing initial break from Duhan van der Merwe, but was felled by a high tackle from Huw Jones.
Jones went to the bin and Chamberlain, on his first start for Edinburgh, banged over the penalty to bring his side back within four.
There had been signs of rustiness from a six-month absence in last weekend's fixture, but if anything this was even more error-prone. The set-piece on both sides was iffy, discipline at the breakdown was scarce and there was little zip in the back divisions.
Quick thinking by Warriors substitute scrum-half Ali Price led to the second try for his team
Glasgow spent the final few minutes of the first half banging at the Edinburgh door. Brown was close to adding a second try but lost control of the ball as he stretched for the line.
The third quarter of the match was so scrappy that the try-lines of both sides were completely untroubled. The game was crying out for some inspiration and it came from Ali Price.
The Glasgow substitute scrum-half caught everyone on the hop with a quick-tap from his own 22 to take his side into Edinburgh territory. Brown burst through a gap and fed Stafford McDowall. Jones came into the line and slipped in Tagive at the corner for a terrific score.
Last week, Glasgow began to fade around the hour mark, but here they were increasing the tempo, Hastings knocking over a penalty to stretch the lead to 15-3.
And from there the match disappeared back down a rabbit-hole of sloppy play and referee's whistles.
For Glasgow, a satisfying if unspectacular way to round off an underwhelming campaign. Edinburgh's season is bubbling up towards a thrilling finale. For it to continue onto a Pro14 final, they will have to be a lot better than this.
What they said
Edinburgh head coach Richard Cockerill: "Rubbish really. It was a dead rubber.
"Glasgow picked a stronger side and we got a little bit outplayed and overpowered but I'm proud of the lads for sticking in there. "
Glasgow Warriors head coach Danny Wilson: "It's pleasing. To come here and get a win was important. Derbies are sometimes about staying in the battle and we did that tonight.
"To hold a team like Edinburgh to three points is a big step in the right direction."
Edinburgh: Kinghorn, Graham, Johnstone, Dean, Van der Merwe, Chamberlain, Shiel; Schoeman, Willemse, Berghan, Haining, Hodgson, Bradbury, Watson, Mata.
Replacements: McInally, Sutherland, Nell, Sykes, Crosbie, Frostwick, Van der Walt, Gordon.
Glasgow Warriors: Jones, Seymour, Grigg, McDowall, Tagive, Hastings, G Horne; Kebble, Brown, Z Fagerson, Gray, Cummings, Wilson, Gordon, M Fagerson.
Replacements: Turner, Chapps, Pieretto, Harley, Fusaro, Price, P Horne, Nairn.