Edinburgh beat Cardiff with second-half comeback

Duhan van der Merwe scored the first of four Edinburgh tries

United Rugby Championship

Edinburgh (3) 27

Tries: Van der Merwe, Shoeman, Graham, Ashman Cons: Thompson (2) Pens: Thompson

Cardiff: (5) 8

Try: Young Pen: Sheedy

Edinburgh continued to turn their season around with a second-half comeback win over Cardiff at Hive Stadium.

Ali Price produced a man of the match display to inspire the hosts just a week after they ended a five-game losing run.

Thomas Young marked his first appearance of the season with a try to hand Cardiff a surprise 5-3 lead at half-time.

But Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoeman, Darcy Graham and Ewan Ashman all crossed to clinch maximum points late on.

Grant Gilchrist's 150th league appearance was tainted by a first half yellow card but victory saw Edinburgh move up to sixth in the United Rugby Championship (URC) while Cardiff continue to slide.

Having won their opening two games, Cardiff have now lost three in a row and have managed just one from their past eight against Edinburgh.

Cardiff showed nine changes and Edinburgh five from the previous week and both sides were guilty of failing to take early chances in a frantic start.

Graham was stopped short while Aled Davies knocked on a half chance and Price did well to beat Gabriel Hamer-Davies to Callum Sheedy's kick.

Thompson kicked the opening points but the fly-half was powerless to stop a bulldozing run by giant centre Mason Grady before Young squeezed over in the corner for the first try.

Grady was on the receiving end of a dangerous tackle moments later that saw Gilchrist sent to the sin bin and the bloodied Wales international requiring a head injury assessment.

Young thought he had a second try but was judged to have a foot in front of the ball when he picked up following James Botham's initial burst.

And the numerical advantage came to nothing when Young completed an eventful half, sent to the sin bin for a breakdown offence after Graham's good work from a cross-field kick.

Van der Merwe produced a stunning finish over the top of Cam Winnett to regain the lead for Edinburgh just six minutes into the second half.

Price again saved a try for the hosts when he hauled down Evan Lloyd after Cardiff's replacement hooker made a stunning 70-metre burst from inside his own half.

Sheedy, captaining Cardiff for the first time, trimmed the deficit to two points with a penalty but two tries in three minutes sealed their fate.

Prop Schoeman peeled off a driving lineout and crashed through Ben Thomas' tackle to score before Price followed Hamish Watson's break, juggling possession before handing Graham an easy finish.

Josh McNally was the second Cardiff player shown a yellow card and though Ben Muncaster was denied, Edinburgh were gifted their bonus point two minutes from time.

Lloyd overthrew a lineout, Cardiff's Achilles heel on the night, and Ashman pounced to score a fourth try.

Thomas Young made his first appearance since facing Edinburgh in April

Edinburgh: Wes Goosen; Darcy Graham, Matt Currie, Mosese Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Ross Thompson, Ali Price; Boan Venter, Paddy Harrison, D’arcy Rae, Marshall Sykes, Grant Gilchrist (capt), Luke Crosbie, Ben Muncaster, Magnus Bradbury

Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Pierre Schoeman, Paul Hill, Jamie Hodgson, Hamish Watson, Ben Vellacott, Cammy Scott, Matt Scott

Sin bin: Gilchrist (31)

Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Mason Grady, Rory Jennings, Iwan Stephens; Callum Sheedy (capt), Aled Davies; Ed Byrne, Dafydd Hughes, Rhys Litterick, Josh McNally, Teddy Williams, James Botham, Thomas Young, Alun Lawrence.

Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Danny Southworth, Keiron Assiratti, Rory Thornton, Alex Mann, Mackenzie Martin, Johan Mulder, Ben Thomas.

Sin bin: Young (39), McNally (73)

Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARU)

Assistant referees: Fin Brown & Michael Todd (SRU)

TMO: Griffin Colby (SARU).