Edinburgh shine to level 1872 Cup at Murrayfield

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Edinburgh made it one win apiece in this season’s 1872 Cup after they beat Glasgow Warriors 29-19 in a thrilling PRO14 game at Murrayfield.

Richard Cockerill had warned his team that pride was at stake after seeing them lose last week’s opener 20-16 at Scotstoun.

But his players stood up to the challenge as they claimed victory after Darcy Graham’s brace bookended Henry Pyrgos’ score and a late penalty try. There were also two conversions and a penalty for Simon Hickey.

The rollercoaster clash in front of 27,437 fans saw Glasgow score three times themselves as Huw Jones, Scott Cummings and George Horne all crossed over and Adam Hastings kicked two conversions.

That was not enough for Dave Rennie’s team but they will have the chance to snatch back the trophy when they return to the capital for May’s series decider.

Last week’s Scotstoun affair was a dreary grind but game two saw the shackles come off in spectacular fashion.

It took 18 minutes for the opening points to arrive but they were worth the wait.

Duhan van der Merwe’s storming 50-yard break had Glasgow scrambling for cover. Before Rennie’s team could get themselves straightened out, Bill Mata popped a beauty of an offload out of the backdoor for Graham who scampered over.

Glasgow stepped up their intensity levels in response and hit back seven minutes later. The forwards were sent crashing forward and having beaten up the Edinburgh defence sufficiently, they left it to the backs to finish off, with Ruaridh Jackson holding his pass until the perfect moment to release Jones, who stepped past Nic Groom on his way in to score.

Scotland team-mates Cummings and Jamie Ritchie had to be separated as things got heated just after the break.

When tempers had calmed sufficiently Hickey slotted over a penalty to nudge Edinburgh back in front again but Glasgow hit back after 53 minutes.

Edinburgh thought they had survived Hastings’ drive as Pierre Schoeman turned the ball over. But Ritchie’s no-arm tackle on Callum Gibbins gave Warriors a penalty which they booted to the corner.

The forwards’ grunt work proved too much to resist once more, with Cummings barging past fellow Scotland lock Grant Gilchrist to score.

Edinburgh saw what would have been a sensational Matt Scott try ruled out after he was ruled to have been held up.

The celebrations were only momentarily delayed, however, as from the resulting scrum after 62 minutes Mata drove Glasgow back and Pyrgos spotted the little gap he needed to touch down.

It was back and forth stuff by this point and the Glasgow pack again regained the initiative as Edinburgh were driven to their own line.

Graham found himself trying to hold off both Zander Fagerson and Horne, but was overpowered as the scrum-half got the try.

Edinburgh’s pack had been itching to show what they could do and got their chance with seven minutes left, driving over a line-out that secured both a penalty try and a yellow card for Jonny Gray after the giant lock had dragged the maul down in a vain attempt to keep the hosts at bay.

There was still time for one last moment to remember as Graham sped 40 yards down the line in the final minute to cap off an impressive Edinburgh victory.

Elsewhere in the PRO14, Benetton hooker Hame Faiva crossed for a hat-trick of tries in his side’s 36-25 victory over Italian rivals Zebre.

An early red card for Juan Ignacio Brex following a dangerous tackle didn’t hinder Benetton, whose other try scorers were Monty Ioane, Ian Keatley and Enjel Makelara. Johannes Meyer, Jamie Elliott, Maxime Mbanda and David Sisi responded for Zebre who claimed a try bonus-point.

The last game of the round saw in-form Leinster make it nine wins out of nine in the PRO14 this season thanks to a 13-6 victory at Munster.

Loosehead prop Ed Byrne scored the only try of a tight contest with Ross Byrne contributing eight points off the tee via a conversion and two penalties. In reply for Munster, JJ Hanrahan knocked over two penalties as they picked up a losing bonus-point that keeps them atop Conference A.

Benetton Treviso