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1872 Cup Leg I: Edinburgh 23-7 Glasgow

Edinburgh v Glasgow
© Scottish Rugby Blog

As usual much fanfare accompanied the first of three 1872 Cup fixtures this season but in the end it was a familiar story as Glasgow failed to impose their all-court swashbuckling on the wide green swathe of the BT Murrayfield pitch. They went away without a win or a bonus point, having not looked quite as up for the contest as the sizeable travelling support might have expected.

The first try was fairly typical of what was to follow, Hastings drawing his defender quite nicely as part of a Glasgow attacking move but then Duhan Van Der Merwe picking off the pop pass to Nick Grigg and beating Hogg in a foot race to the corner. An outstanding conversion from the touchline by Jaco Van Der Walt summed up the South African influence on this game in the opening 20 minutes; bookending the tries were two penalties to give the home side a 13-0 lead.

Glasgow’s discipline was letting them down, and too many errors in the setpiece and the loose counteracting any creative work that the half-back pair of Hastings and Horne were doing to get the team past a tricky Edinburgh defence.

When Glasgow did get on the scoreboard it was a piece of Horne brothers trickery that we’ve seen before: a carbon copy of the chip and (diving) chase move that almost came off against Wales but this time worked with pinpoint precision.

Adam Hastings converted, and the Warrior Nation would have been breathing a little easier.

Half-time: Edinburgh 13-7 Glasgow Warriors

The second half started with a period of hot-potato as both sides spilled balls or had kicks charged down.

The line speed from Edinburgh’s less heralded centre partnership of Chris Dean and James Johnstone saw them up so quickly in the faces of Glasgow that the ball rarely got wider than Pete Horne and out to the dangerous back three.

After the early unsettled spell, an improved effort from Glasgow saw them camped in Edinburgh’s half but their momentum was killed by a possibly unnecessary Hastings behind-the-back pass that skidded into touch.

Edinburgh managed to break out through a Van Der Merwe kick and chase that was gathered by Johnstone. The former sevens man was hauled down close to the line by Stuart Hogg but at the ruck that followed, Glasgow skipper Callum Gibbins interfered with play from an offside position enough for referee Mike Adamson to send him to the bin.

Rapidly becoming the villain of the piece for visiting fans, young Hastings threw a wobbly (and forward) pass that was all too easily picked off again by Van Der Merwe who once again sprinted away. Adding on another Van Der Walt penalty and the lead was out to 23-7 with 20 minutes to play.

As Glasgow were not to score in the second half, that was how it stayed despite the considerable riches on the bench Dave Rennie was able to draw on. With Hastings hooked and Horne at standoff Glasgow looked more incisive but Edinburgh weren’t to be denied and doggedly kept the pressure on until the inevitable mistake. It says something when that backline was resorting to kick passes as the only way of breaching the defence.

Successive penalties gave Glasgow a final spell on the Edinburgh line but they could not breach it. The final attack of the game saw Pete Horne fizz a pass across the face of an overlap straight into touch.

Overly ambitious, but on this occasion unable to execute.

For Edinburgh though, vital league points and once again the bragging rights – at least until next weekend when the action moves to the West.

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Attendance: 21,190

SRBlog Man of the Match: Henry Pyrgos ran the game very well from 9 behind an Edinburgh pack having one of their good days, and both Vanders had a strong influence on the scoreboard but my award goes to Darcy Graham who was targeted for pressure from the off and coped with pretty much everything his more experienced opponents could throw at him.

27 Responses

  1. Sore one for the Weeg supporters but Cockerill had the Gunners really up of the game with a limited game plan ideal for a derby and the players with the qualities to implement it.

    Young Hastings would be well advised not to talk the talk under he is able to walk the walk, having come away looking seriously stupid.

    Warriors need to make changes for the return fixture and up the intensity big time.

  2. Despite the historical precedents, I didn’t see such a comprehensive win for Embra coming. A team beat the individuals, with the defence the key. And unsurprisingly, the best pack won it.
    Other backs will rightly get kudos, but a shout from me for Dean and Johnstone, who I’ve never really rated defensively, but who stuck to the game plan throughout and tackled their socks off.

  3. My XV for the world cup from today’s game:

    Bhatti
    McInally
    Nel
    Gilchrist
    Toolis
    Hamilton
    Watson
    Fagerson
    Pyrgos
    Horne
    Seymour
    Dean
    Johnstone
    Graham
    Kinghorn

  4. Nothing here to dissuade me from my earlier conviction that Adam Hastings is just a flock-of-seagulls haircut and a famous surname in a pair of rugby shorts. Woeful.

    He seriously needs to cut out the fancy stuff and focus on the meat and tatties of the job, the sooner a steady hand is brought in to guide him the better. Dan Parks would be my choice.

    1. Busy Little Bee

      Why bring his father into the equation. As a person you always want to be judged for who you are. The parental comparison is inevitable but it’s an easy cheap shot.

      He’s progressing nicely and it’s easy when things go wrong for the negatives to over ride the positives.

      Give the guy a break and focus on being constructive.

      1. Completely agree. Hastings has had some great games, so that means he needs consistency and a plan of action when is he under more pressure than usual. E.g. From a rush defense or simply when plan A is not working as yesterday.

        Also when will Glasgow just learn to play territory when it suits and the game is tight?? If Ireland do it why can’t we? It doesn’t mean you need to only kick, but if you are in your own half just boot it out in their 22 and hope the game breaks up occasionally. Glasgow attack was shutdown and a readjustment just didn’t appear until late in the game with some cross field kicking.

      2. Loads of them have famous fathers , uncles and even mothers if we are to listen to John Beattie.Hastings can stand tall on his own merits. Edinburgh gave no room and Glasgow had no clean ball , best side won and Glasgow were dire in key positions.

    2. I’ve heard that Dan Parks is replacing Humphries, so maybe he could do a little on-the-side mentoring for young Hastings (who has looked excellent in many games this season and has several MotM awards to prove it).

  5. Fair enough Rosco and I wouldn’t for a second think I know more about the game than the coaches etc who back him. Maybe I’ve just seen the bad matches. Do think he can tone it down a bit though, cut out a bit of the flash and I never saw John Rutherford, Chalmers, Dan Parks, Russell putting their hair back in place mid-match. The hair must go.

    Anybody else thinks Chris Dean is now a contender for the test squad.

    1. Busy Little Bee

      Both Hastings and Russell particularly struggle when our forwards don’t provide quick ball and/or are going backwards. I didn’t see yesterday’s game but sounds like Edinburgh pack had the upper hand and if service was poor then it may explain why you think Hastings had a poor day.

      Do you think Russell and Hastings could do more to adapt their style of play depending on how the ball is being presented? Maybe stand deeper more often when it’s negative ball and increase the number of long range kicks. Rather than trying the impossible for deep if the ball is not good. Fair enough if it’s good ball.

      I quite like seeing Hogg coming is with his long kicks for Scotland when things aren’t going our way.

  6. Forwards win matches and apart from Gray I don’t think 1 Glasgow player would get into Edinburgh’s best available Front 8.

    1. I dont think Gray would get in ahead of Gilco and Toolis, cockers likes abrasive forwards. I think the players you could argue for getting into first choice team would be Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson and possibly Gibbins at 6 although that is abit of a stretch.

      Tbf even Brown and Fagerson are really 50/50 to get into that Edinburgh pack.

      Besides Leinster and mabey Saracens i cant think of a better forward pack when all are available.

      1. Gilchrist and especially Toolis had great games. Jonny Gray was his usual industrial self but was outplayed by his Edinburgh contemporaries – certainly in the first half.
        The old adage of forwards win games, backs decide by how much, was proved in that game.

  7. I think maybe it showed that Edinburgh desperately needed these league points to keep a season in track whilst Glasgow are cruising in the league.

    Edinburgh should catch Benetton but it is a big ask to overhaul either Ulster or Scarlets given their respective remaining fixtures. Edinburgh need a big statement at Scotstoun to keep their hopes alive but a wounded Glasgow at home will be another beast entirely.

  8. It is obvously a piss take and reminder that we do have glamour babes in rugby for all that here is one thing he has achieved in the last 10 years and you are not going to like it.

    Henson is 36 and still gets a game in the pro 14.He is not only in the game but drawing a wage which is more than most critics in here.

    Admittedly he never stays anywhere for any length of time and while some might think it sad he is still around , he is doing something most opinionated wags in here are not.He is milking the game for all it is worth and when we turn up and pay for a ticket he is laughing all the way to the bank.

    So he has achieved 2 things.He is still playing rugby and secondly YOU are paying him to do so.

    Now who is the bahookey in that lot.Merry Christmas.

    1. Tell me what trophies honours has Henson achieved think you will find square route of F all and a merry xmas too you also.

      1. Henson showed great potential but was a individual player his career stalled and has achieved very little in last ten years that was my point which sceptic you seemed to have missed talented player big ego and generally underachieved just happened to be in a good Wales team early on in his career I have read a few autobiographys of his teammates they don’t have much good to say about him.

      2. Never thought my negative image coaching would start such a fire.

        Gavin Henson is not the most popular man in rugby, he has more clubs than Tiger Woods and couldnt get it on with Michelle Mone who after all, is famous for making a living out of improving bang average tits.

        But like he says , Having Henson ( not Hastings) is still taking a wage and we are daft enough to keep funding his tan , teeth and tints.

  9. Edin pack wot won it. With a huge dollop of help from the maestro that is Henry P.

    A few here getting carried away with the Edin pack however. That dominant pack ceded possession to Glasgow in open play. They produced no ball of any quality for the Edinburgh backs. Much like the rest of the season.
    McCrae’s defence was too good and too much for Glasgow who did their usual rabbit in headlamps when confronted with a good rush defence and organised structure which is kept to.

    Lets just imagine for a moment how the game might have progressed without those 2 Hastings intercepts. That is what Cockerill and |Edinburgh need to think about this week.
    They won, and won well. By taking the 2 freebies on offer. Those won’t be on offer every week and Edinburgh still need to step up another level.

    Glasgow need a brain off the pitch and a couple on it. Hastings made 2 howlers but the overall approach was the same that has all too frequently failed against better sides; yet Rennie etc do not seem to learn

      1. Dont be silly , I was daft enough to talk Glasgow up before the game and Edinburgh didnt just beat them , they sillied them , no question , completely overpowered and it was embarassing. Glasga hud their tea. Put me in my place as well :(

        Best wishes folks. Peace on earth (till the 2nd leg)

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