Edinburgh 27-8 Cardiff

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Cardiff left Edinburgh empty-handed despite showing an abundance of fight in a thrilling encounter in the BKT United Rugby Championship.

In a low-scoring but action-packed first-half at the Hive Stadium, Cardiff had plenty of opportunities and entered the break leading by two thanks to Thomas Young’s uncovered try,

But with a tide of penalties flowing against them following the break, and Edinburgh’s unrelenting physicality, the pressure eventually told.

Edinburgh crossed through a trio of Scotland internationals in Duhan van der Merwe, Pierre Schoemann and Darcy Graham before a miss-firing line out, reduced a man, gave Edinburgh a bonus-point try in the closing stages, through hooker Ewan Ashman and earn a 20-8 victory.

With match minutes and injuries mounting, Cardiff refreshed their starting line-up with nine changes to the side that slipped to a derby defeat to the Scarlets last weekend.

Callum Sheedy captained the side and there were welcome returns for Thomas Young and James Botham, while Rory Jennings made his competitive debut for the club.

The Blue & Blacks, wearing their red alternate kit kicked-off into the bright evening sun in Edinburgh and despite a good opening set, soon found themselves under pressure.

Edinburgh worked their way downfield and hammered away at Cardiff with speed and ferocity but it was matched by plenty of venom in defence. They survived the storm with Edinburgh settling for a simple Ross Thompson penalty.

The home side maintained their early intensity but Cardiff matched it in commitment before forcing a penalty in their own twenty-two and then going on the attack.

With Daf Hughes, Alun Lawrence and Thomas Young all carrying hard on the back of a fine high take from Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Cardiff enjoyed their first real of possession but were unable to turn pressure into points.

It was a relentless opening quarter at the Hive Stadium but a fine defensive read from Sheedy to stop Mosese Tuipulotu and a stubborn set-piece kept the home side out.

Cardiff took the lead on the 28th minute with both the forwards and backs playing their part in a fine team try.

After turning down a shot at goal, Cardiff launched an intricate trick-play at the line out, which saw the point of attack change twice to allow Mason Grady to hit the ball at pace.

He tore into the Edinburgh midfield, powering through two defenders and the damage was done. When he was eventually stopped the ball was quickly recycled and Rory Jennings fired a fine miss-pass to Young, who crossed in the corner.

Sheedy was unable to add the extras and from the kick-off Grady was on the receiving end of a high tackle, which saw Grant Gilchrist sin-binned and the centre depart for a HIA.

Cardiff continued to grow into the encounter and some electric footwork from Iwan Stephens, on his return from injury, almost unlocked the Edinburgh defence and put Teddy Williams away.

The play continued and Young thought he had snuck over for a second, when he picked the ball from the ruck. The effort was ruled out by the TMO and Cardiff came back for a penalty.

Twice they set a driving lineout, and they will be aggrieved not to have received a penalty try after Edinburgh infringed at the first, which was hurtling towards the line before being pulled down. Frustratingly from the second they miss-fired as the hosts stole the ball in the maul and almost went the length.

Iwan Stephens made a remarkable try-saving tackle but Young was then penalised and was sent to the bin. In a frantic finale, Edinburgh then went to the corner but Cardiff eventually forced a knock-on with the half finishing in handbags.

Cardiff returned for the second-half still reduced to 14-men but with Grady after he passed his HIA and they were quickly spurred into life by another impressive hit from Stephens on a much bigger man, which forced a knock on.

However, with marginal decisions going Edinburgh’s way at an increasing frequency, they piled on the pressure once more.

It eventually told as Duhan van der Merwe finished acrobatically in the corner, despite the best efforts of Cam Winnett, and Thompson added the extras to make it 10-5.
Cardiff were left kicking themselves on 53 minutes after a remarkable break from Evan Lloyd, who pounced on a loose Edinburgh throw and raced 80 metres. The hooker outpaced Edinburgh backs and handed off one before Van der Merwe saved the day and frustratingly Cardiff knocked on at the next phase.

A fine break from Mason Grady also set Edinburgh alarm bells ringing but his speculative off-load found Edinburgh hands rather than Alun Lawrence who would have been clear.

Sheedy did however soon slot a penalty to cut the deficit to just two points but with Edinburgh continuing to benefit from calls and Cardiff errors, they were soon back on the attack.

Pierre Schoemann powered over from close-range and minutes later Darcy Graham finished a fine team effort to stun the visitors.

Cardiff remained on the wrong side of Morne Ferreira, who sent Josh McNally to the sin-bin on 71 minutes, after the second-row initiated a maul early.

However, Sherratt’s side continued to fight, displaying dogged defence which continued to thwart Edinbrugh. The home side thought they has scored in the corner in the final minutes but it was ruled out by the TMO after a last ditch tackle from Iwan Stephens.

Edinburgh would claim their bonus point however, when the overthrown lineout was collected by Ashman who dotted down.

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