Edinburgh acclimatise brilliantly to sink Sharks in South Africa
Edinburgh became the first northern hemisphere team to win a URC game in South Africa this season as they sunk the Sharks 21-5. The match was played in torrential rain in Durban - accompanied by more than 80 per cent humidity and a temperature of 23 degrees - yet Edinburgh acclimatised brilliantly.
They underlined their playoff credentials in style, claiming a memorable win against South Africa’s form team as their Scotland international fly-half Blair Kinghorn scored two tries. Full-back Emiliano Boffelli also claimed a try and added three conversions in an outstanding display by Mike Blair’s men.
The Sharks replied with a touch down from prop Thomas du Toit, but fly-half Curwin Bosch missed three kicks at goal that would have kept his team in contention. Bosch missed an early chance when he drifted an angled penalty wide as both sides tried to adapt in testing conditions underfoot.
The Sharks exerted early pressure, but they had centre Marius Louw yellow-carded by Italian referee Andrea Piardi after he tackled Kinghorn in the air. And with Louw still off, Edinburgh pounced for an outstanding try as skipper Mark Bennett made a high-class break inside the Sharks’ 22, allowing Kinghorn to cross unopposed.
Boffelli’s conversion made it 7-0, but the Sharks’ forward power soon surfaced, especially in the scrums, where their front row of Ox Nche, Bongi Mbonambi and Du Toit established supremacy. It was backs to the wall at times for Edinburgh, yet their cause was helped when Bosch failed to find the target with a penalty chance from in front of the posts.
Edinburgh ended a stamina-sapping first 40 URC minutes by losing lock Pierce Phillips to the sin-bin, paying the price for repeated team infringements. But the visitors held on, absorbing further Sharks pressure as they took a seven-point lead into the interval. The Sharks looked to make an immediate second-half impact, and they should have collected an equalising try, but Nche knocked on with the Edinburgh line at his mercy.
Four minutes later, though, they finally breached Edinburgh’s defence, and it came after more heavy-duty work from their forwards, with Du Toit touching down. Bosch could not convert, with Edinburgh then taking play back into the Sharks’ half through number eight Ben Muncaster’s powerful charge, and Boffelli crossed for another impressive try before adding the extras.
It proved the game’s decisive score, with the Sharks unable to find a way back into the contest as Kinghorn’s late opportunist effort sealed the deal.
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No he's just limited in what he can do. Like Scott Robertson. And Eddie Jones.
Sometimes it doesn't work out so you have to go looking for another national coach who supports his country and believes in what he is doing. Like NZ replacing Ian Foster. And South Africa bringing Erasmus back in to over see Neinbar.
This is the real world. Not the fantasy oh you don't need passion for your country for international rugby. Ask a kiwi, or a south african or a frenchman.
Go to commentsDont complain too much or start jumping to conclusions.
Here in NZ commentators have been blabbing that our bottom pathway competition the NPC (provincial teams only like Taranaki, Wellington etc)is not fit for purpose ie supplying players to Super rugby level then they started blabbing that our Super Rugby comp (combined provincial unions making up, Crusaders, Hurricanes, etc) wasn't good enough without the South African teams and for the style SA and the northern powers play at test level.
Here is what I reckon, Our comps are good enough for how WE want to play rugby not how Ireland, SA, England etc play. Our comps are high tempo, more rucks, mauls, running plays, kicks in play, returns, in a game than most YES alot of repetition but that builds attacking skillsets and mindsets. I don't want to see world teams all play the same they all have their own identity and style as do England (we were scared with all this kind of talk when they came here) World powerhouse for a reason, losses this year have been by the tiniest of margins and could have gone either way in alot of games. Built around forward power and blitz defence they have got a great attack Wingers are chosen for their Xfactor now not can they chase up and unders all day. Stick to your guns its not far off
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