Edinburgh’s attention turned away from the hunt for the BKT URC playoffs and towards a European trophy on Friday Night. Albeit against a South African side, as the Emirates Lions from Johannesburg faced Sean Everitt’s side for a place in the EPCR Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals. Scotland international Duhan van der Merwe was absent after last week’s ankle injury against the Dragons. Paul Hill was ruled out at the last minute with a back spasm, he was replaced by Javan Sebastian.
In less than two minutes, Edinburgh took the lead, a nicely worked try, passed out to the left and weaved through the Lions defence by Wes Goosen, a great start for the fullback on his 50th appearance for the club. Ross Thompson missed his conversion, but almost straight away, Edinburgh were ahead.
Edinburgh pressed again right away, and at around the 10-minute mark that they found another try, all the way from the right-hand corner of the field. The ball was passed horizontally out to the left before co-captain scrum-half Ben Vellacot slid through to claim another five. Thompson’s second failed attempt at a kick left it 10-0.
For the next ten minutes the Lions attempted to press forward but struggled to find a space to cut through the home side. A quick turnover and the break was on for Edinburgh. Darcy Graham running it all the way past the five, before being brought down by Quan Horn, who promptly received a yellow for not releasing the scotsman. The offence did, however, prevent another Edinburgh try right away.
A try for the home team did come before the half-time break though. The ball was picked up near Edinburgh’s own goal line and expertly charged down the field by Darcy Graham before he was brought down near the Lions’ five, Edinburgh kept the ball and passed it across the field to find, again, the left hand corner. This time former Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie powered it over the line. Ross Thompson’s kick was finally successful on his third attempt, in what was the last score of the half. Edinburgh headed into the changing room with a commanding 17-0.
The first big moment of the second half came in the 45th minute as Edinburgh co-captain Grant Gilchrist was sent to the sin-bin for tackling Edinburgh scrum half Morne van den Berg off the ball. The Lions kept the ball up the Edinburgh end and after a couple of penalties a try was forced by Franckie Horn from a maul, for the Lion’s first points of the evening. Lions No. 10 Gianni Lombard missed the kick, making it 17-5 with half an hour to play.
Edinburgh managed to keep the ball down the Lions end for most of the next ten minutes but struggled to find space to slot through, eventually handing possession off to the South African side. An extended spell of Lions pressing was handled well by Edinburgh: the away team kept possession but were not presented with an opportunity for a serious scoring attempt. And then, with less than ten minutes to go, a fired-up Edinburgh side charged down the field after a penalty, substitute Ali Price finding space just to the right of the goalposts, in a try cemented Edinburgh’s place in the quarters. Ross Thompson’s kick was good to make it 24-5.
The Lions did manage to score a consolation try, Jaco Visagie claiming the points, after TMO proved that Freddy Douglas hadn’t held the ball up. But there simply wasn’t enough time for Ivan van Rooyen’s side to build a comeback. 24-12 at the final whistle.
Edinburgh have earned another home game next week as they will welcome the winner of Saturday’s early kick-off, either the Vodacom Bulls or Aviron Bayonnais will travel to Hive Stadium.
1. Pierre Schoeman / 2. Dave Cherry / 3. Javan Sebastian / 4. Sam Skinner / 5. Grant Gilchrist (Co-Captain) / 6. Jamie Ritchie / 7. Hamish Watson / 8. Magnus Bradbury / 9. Ben Vellacot (Co-Captain) / 10. Ross Thompson / 11. Ross McCann / 12. James Lang / 13. Matt Currie / 14. Darcy Graham / 15. Wes Goosen
16. Ewan Ashman / 17. Boan Venter / 18. Angus Williams / 19. Glen Young / 20. Freddy Douglas / 21. Ali Price / 22. Cammy Scott / 23. Jack Brown
1. SJ Kotze / 2. Franco Marais / 3. Asenathi Ntlabakanye / 4. Ruben Schoeman / 5. Darrien Landsberg / 6. Jarod Cairns / 7. Ruan Venter / 8. Francke Horn (Captain) / 9. Morne van den Berg / 10. Gianni Lombard / 11. Edwill van der Merwe / 12. Rynhardt Jonker / 13. Manuel Rass / 14. Richard Kriel / 15. Quan Horn
16. Jaco Visagie / 17. Juan Schoeman / 18. RF Schoeman / 19. Izan Esterhuizen / 20. Siba Qoma / 21. Nico Steyn / 22. JC Pretorius / 23. Marius Louw
Attendance: 5,407
