Edinburgh’s poor start to the season continues following loss in Pretoria

Edinburgh’s BKT URC season continued in South Africa with a second consecutive defeat.

After a loss at home to Leinster, an almost empty stadium in Pretoria, and a Bull’s squad devoid of much Springbok international talent (with the final day of The Rugby Championship also taking place on Saturday), the conditions were more subdued than they might have been. Perhaps the best conditions to face last season’s finalists away from home. 

An uneventful start to the first half was followed by a stunning kick from halfway up the pitch by this season’s new addition, Ross Thompson, for three points, fourteen minutes in. 

Edinburgh maintained the lead for another fifteen minutes before the away side allowed Canan Moodie to sprint down the pitch and a quick succession of passes led to a try from Jannes Kirsten in the right-hand corner.

Up by seven and with the ball back, just three minutes later the Bulls scored again, another try out wide – this time on the left-hand side. Van der Walt found space to break through the Edinburgh back line. A missed conversion left the Bulls up by nine. 

A yellow card for Cameron Hanekom for an offside offence brought the Bulls down to fourteen men before the break, with Edinburgh yards from the try-line. Ewan Ashman eventually scored before halftime, breaking through a maul as the Bulls attempted to force Edinburgh off the pitch. Another superb kick from Ross Thompson reduced the deficit to just 2 points heading in for the break. 

The first points of the second half also came from Thompson, a penalty kick, giving Edinburgh a narrow one-point lead. 

The away side looked to score again as a straight and long kick into Bulls territory from co-captain Ben Vellacot led to a furious chase for the ball between him and Sebastian de Klerk. However, it was Boeta Chamberlain who swooped in to steal the ball, in what was a real blow for Edinburgh – squandering a good scoring opportunity and leaving their lead at just one point. 

Edinburgh seemed to be handed another golden opportunity to score just a few minutes later when Simphiwe Matanzima received a yellow card for a second scrum infringement. They came close, pushing the home side back to around the five-meter line, but it was the home side who would score next. Winning the ball back and producing an impressive team effort try, hurtling up the pitch with almost the entire squad involved, leading to a long kick and quickly taken line out allowing the Bulls to slot through the goalposts and regain the lead in the final try of the game. 

Both teams scored another penalty kick before full-time. Chamberlain added the three points for the South African side and Ross Thompson with the last points of the game – ensuring the away side would at least gain a bonus point. 

There were some hopeful moments for Sean Evirit’s team with Thompson’s kicks a particular stand-out. Edinburgh did create some chances, but more from the team will be needed to ensure they capitalise on those opportunities, especially if they are going to challenge the top teams in the URC. 

Edinburgh will stay in South Africa ahead of next week’s game in Johannesburg against The Lions, on paper a far easier test for the Scottish side, and a must-win game for a squad who desperately need a victory following a discouraging start to the season.