Edinburgh crush Stormers to end losing run

Ben Muncaster scored two of Edinburgh's five tries

United Rugby Championship

Edinburgh (14) 38

Tries: Harrison, Muncaster 2, Graham, Gilchrist Cons: Thompson 4, Scott Pen: Thompson

Stormers (7) 7

Try: Nel Con: Willemse

Edinburgh bounced back from last week's humbling defeat by Lions to secure their first victory of the United Rugby Championship season with an impressive bonus-point victory over Stormers at the Hive.

First-half tries from Patrick Harrison and Ben Muncaster set them on their way, while Ruhan Nel's try ensured Stormers were within seven at the break.

Edinburgh took control in the second half, with Darcy Graham and Grant Gilchrist crossing, as well as a second Muncaster try, in addition to 11 points from the boot of Ross Thompson as the hosts ended their three-match losing run.

The capital side face Cardiff in round five of the URC next Saturday.

Last week's humiliation in Johannesburg - when they shipped 48 unanswered points in the first half, a URC record - prompted all manner of questions for Edinburgh's under-performing players and head coach Sean Everitt.

Edinburgh needed a response and started on the front foot before their own fans. Gilchrist led the way by crashing over the line early, but further inspection from the TMO showed the captain had failed to ground the ball properly and the score was ruled out.

The home side did not let the momentum slip though, and Harrison burrowed over from close range for the opening try.

Stormers barely had time to gather themselves before Edinburgh struck again, Muncaster bursting through, stepping Leolin Zas and charging to the line for a wonderful try.

The South Africans finally came to life on the half hour, pounding the Edinburgh line until Damien Willemse sent Ruhan Nel crashing over to get the visitors on the board.

The momentum of the match had swung entirely, and only some ferocious Edinburgh defence kept the Stormers out in the closing stages of the first half.

The visitors kept coming after the break and Edinburgh had a let-off early in the second half. Graham was stripped of the ball in his own 22 and the ball was whipped wide to Zas to dive over, but the TMO spotted an infringement in the build-up and the try was chalked off.

Edinburgh gradually regained the initiative, worked their way up the pitch and got a little breathing space when Graham finished off a period of pressure to dive over in the corner.

Having scored his first Edinburgh try in six years against Lions last weekend, and having one ruled out early on here, Gilchrist clearly had a taste for the try line and he powered over from close range to secure his side the four-try bonus point.

Muncaster ploughed over for his second try in the final play of the game to cap a superb player-of-the-match display.

After the horrors of Johannesburg, this was the kind of result and performance to offer hope that Edinburgh can start moving up the table.

What they said

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt: "This team has never lacked character under my leadership. I'm just glad that they were able to put in the performance and get the result that they did against a quality Stormers outfit.

"It's been a difficult week for everyone. It was always going to be a tricky start, to this competition. But it just shows what this team can do with good game management and good leadership.

"The leaders took responsibility for having gone a little bit off strategy last week. This week we got it right and hopefully we can build on it."

Line-ups

Edinburgh: Goosen, Graham, Tuipulotu, M Scott, Van der Merwe, Thompson, Price; Schoeman, Harrison, Hill, Hodgson, Gilchrist (c), Ritchie, Muncaster, Bradbury.

Replacements: Morris, Venter, Rae, Sykes, Crosbie, Vellacott, C. Scott, Currie.

Stormers: Gelant, Davids, Nel, Du Plessis (c), Zas, Willemse, De Wet; Harris, Venter, Fouche, Schickerling, Van Heerden, Ewers, Dixon, Morabe.

Replacements: Kotze, Sithole, Sandi, Smith, Theunissen, Engelbrecht, Ungerer, Simelane.