Edinburgh beaten by Bulls for second URC defeat

Ashman scored Edinburgh's solitary try in the match in Pretoria

United Rugby Championship

Bulls (12) 22

Tries: Kirsten, van der Walt, Moodie Pen: Chamberlain Con: Van der Walt, Chamberlain

Edinburgh (10) 16

Try: Ashman Pens: Thompson (3) Con: Thompson

Well-placed kicking from Ross Thompson was not enough to stop Edinburgh from falling to their second defeat of the season as a battling Bulls side took an attritional victory in Pretoria.

A bright start for Edinburgh under the baking South African sun saw Thompson find the mark early for Edinburgh, sweetly striking his penalty to put the visitors ahead.

But as the match looked likely to settle down into a groove, Jannes Kirsten received the ball after a darting run through the Edinburgh back line to put down for a try.

And minutes later Bulls extended their lead, capitalising on slow-footed defending deep in the Edinburgh half to send Jaco van der Walt bursting through against his old side.

With half-time approaching, Edinburgh managed to reduce the deficit to just two points. A well-worked maul from the line-out saw the visitors drive over the line, before Thompson’s boot converted from an acute angle to wrap up the first period.

But Edinburgh allowed their concentration to waver, giving 14-man Bulls – with Simphiwe Matanzima sin-binned – the chance to restore their lead.

Canan Moodie took advantage of further slack Edinburgh defending to casually run through between the posts, with Boeta Chamberlain kicking the extra points.

And after tempers flared between the two sides in the Edinburgh half, the hosts booted an easy penalty.

Try scorer Ashman found himself in the sin-bin with 10 minutes remaining after delivering a late tackle to David Kriel.

With the clock ticking down, Bulls looked to press home their advantage but, as the ball spilled just before the Edinburgh line, the visitors broke with a cavalry charge downfield but Duhan Van der Merwe was eventually forced to ground.

Thompson scored from the resultant penalty for offside to bring Edinburgh within six points, but Sean Everitt’s side fell to a second successive defeat.

Bulls: Kriel, Moodie, Gans, Smit, de Klerk, van der Walt, Papier, Tshakweni, van der Merwe, Klopper, Vermaak, Wiese, Xaba, Kirsten, Hanekom.

Replacements: Grobbelaar, Matanzima, Smith, van Heerden, Coetzee, Johannes, Chamberlain, Dyantyi.

Edinburgh: Goosen, D Graham, Bennett, Scott, van der Merwe, Thompson, Price, Schoeman, Cherry, Hill, Sykes, Gilchrist, Ritchie, Watson, Bradbury.

Replacements: Ashman, Venter, Rae, Hodgson, Dodd, Vellacott, Healy, McCann.

Sin Bin: Hanekom (37), Matanzima (60); Ashman (70)