Edinburgh ‘A’ claim five-try win

Edinburgh Rugby ‘A’ opened its new and expanded 24/25 campaign in winning fashion with an entertaining 33-14 win over Glasgow Warriors A at Hive Stadium tonight.

The feisty and physical encounter showcased a good balance of experienced heads looking to impress and young pretenders seeking impose.

Two tries to one were registered in the opening half – a quick tap by Edinburgh scrum-half Conor McAlpine sandwiched between visiting tries from Glasgow backs Aidan Cross and Duncan Munn – saw the hosts a score up at the interval (7-14).

Edinburgh had a far greater strangle hold on the second 40, however, as a quartet of tries from tighthead Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, stand-off Cammy Scott, wing Lewis Wells and hooker Harri Morris just reward for their efforts to tie, take and bank the derby victory.

On the win, try scorer Morris added: “The game was good, it was touch and go in the first half, but we stuck in for the second 40 and came out on top. Overall really happy with the performance.

“In the the first 40 it felt like we were defending the whole time, and we did really well to keep them out. When we got down their end we took our chances a better than they did, and it shows with the final score”

Match report

Glasgow broke the deadlock after the quarter of an hour mark, through wing Aiden Cross, who dotted down out wide after an impressive break down the opposite wing by Amena Caqusau. Mathew Urwin added the extras from distance (0-7).

Pack power was the answer for the hosts who battled back into the opposition 22, where neat interplay between lock Rob Carmichael and the typically industrious Conor Boyle ultimately led to a penalty – quickly taken by McAlpine to race under the posts untouched from 22 yards out.

Scott added the straight on conversion (7-7).

Glasgow then retook their lead when a deft chip over top landed neatly with captain Duncan Munn, who collected without breaking stride to glide over the line. Urwin converted once more (7-14).

The Edinburgh pack rumbled over the line in response soon after but were adjudged to be held up, before being thwarted once more by the scrambling defence moments later at the 5m line.

The second-half was kick started in earnest with great break from prop Mikey Jones, first to climb over his would-be tackler before breaking into open prairie, support then by Boyle who’s grubber attempt was booted into the stands.

Pressure maintined by the hosts out wide before centre Jack Hocking slipped to Blyth-Lafferty to score.

Scott converted to tie the game, before side-stepping and breezing in from the 22 moments later to score, and convert, to put the hosts in front for the first time (21-14).

Glasgow came close to pulling one back but knocked the ball on with the try line in sight, before Edinburgh wing Wells sealed the win with a combination of fine footwork and pure power to find enough space in close quarters to force his way over for the unconverted score (26-14).

Hooker Morris then put the icing on the cake to cross at the death for the converted score to complte an excellent half and opening game for the hosts (33-14).

The capital club were opening what is set to be an expanded ‘A’ fixture calendar for the 24/25 season, with the derby the first of four matches announced by the capital club to date, with further matches set to be announced in the New Year.

The new fixture calendar follows the recruitment of an expanded pro-academy intake earlier this year – which increased from the pool of players from 15 to 23 – and includes several players who will train with both the academy and senior sides through the upcoming campaign.

In line with the new Performance Player Pathway announcement from Scottish Rugby, the expanded set-up allows for the inclusion of later developing players and will further support the ongoing development of homegrown players through ‘A’ team fixtures and player draft to Arnold Clark Men’s Premiership sides.

Edinburgh Rugby ‘A’: 15. Brown*; 14. Barbour (Kelso RFC), 13. Hocking*, 12. Thomson*, 11. Wells*; 10. Scott (VC), 9. McAlpine*; 1. Jones*, 2. Morris*, 3. Blyth-Lafferty*, 4. McVie*, 5. Carmichael, 6. Spence (Heriot’s), 7. Douglas*, 8. Boyle (C). Replacements: 16. Blyth-Lafferty*, 17. McGregor (Kelso RFC), 18. Owlett (unattached), 19. Jakeman (Musselburgh RFC), 20. Patterson*, 21. Coates*, 22. Wolfenden, 23. Thomson (University of St Andrews)

*Expanded pro-academy

Glasgow Warriors A: Watson; Cross, Munn (C), Yule, Caqusau; Urwin, Jackson; McFeat-Smith, Fraser, Richardson, Oguntibeju, Arnold, Roberts, Duncan, Mann. Replacements: Shearer, Norrie, Smyth, Ramsay, Curtis, Simpson, Salmon, Ventisei, Johnston, Provan, Purvis.

2024/25 Edinburgh Rugby ‘A’ fixture schedule:
Friday 27 September – Edinburgh Rugby A 21-14 Glasgow Warriors A
Friday 4 October – Saracens A v Edinburgh Rugby A, Stone X Stadium (kick-off 7pm)
Saturday 12 October – Bath Rugby A v Edinburgh Rugby A, The Rec (kick-off 1pm)
Saturday 26 October – Ealing Trailfinders v Edinburgh Rugby A, Trailfinders Sports Club (kick-off 2pm)