Everitt: “Defensively we weren’t good enough.”

Edinburgh Rugby snatched a dramatic 25-25 draw against Zebre Parma in Italy last night, thanks to a last-gasp try from Matt Currie and a subsequent ice-cool conversion from Cammy Scott as the clock ticked into the red.

While the two points secured on the road will be welcomed, Head Coach Sean Everitt couldn’t hide his disappointment at not securing a vital victory in the race for the BKT United Rugby Championship playoffs.

Speaking after the tense encounter at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Everitt stated plainly, “I’m disappointed that we didn’t get the win. There were some really good moments in the game that I’m proud of, but we needed to get four or five points tonight. We didn’t do that, so I’m disappointed.”

However, amidst the frustration, Everitt was quick to acknowledge the resilience and fighting spirit of his players who never gave up until the final whistle. “Yes, I am [pleased with the general attitude]. They never give up. There’s been a massive improvement within the group over the last six or seven weeks.”

He highlighted the contributions of some of the younger members of the squad adding, “We had a lot of youngsters playing tonight. Harry Paterson hadn’t played for a while and played really well tonight. Cammy Scott nails a conversion from the corner of the field.”

Despite the late heroics, Everitt was critical of his side’s defensive efforts. “There’s a lot to be positive about. But defensively we weren’t good enough,” he stated.

“A couple of soft moments defensively, particularly in the first half, probably cost us the game. It was always going to be tough, and it was going to be a close game. We do pride ourselves on how we defend, and I think that let us down.”

The draw leaves Edinburgh in a shaky position regarding their playoff aspirations. When asked if the two points would be enough to keep their hopes alive, Everitt offered a realistic outlook. “There’s always a chance on 49 points [the max Edinburgh can now get]. But I think 51 makes it safe, so we’re going to have to rely on other results to get through now.”

Looking ahead to their final two fixtures against Connacht and Ulster, Everitt was clear about the task at hand. “Yes. That’s definitely what we’ll play for [needing to beat Connacht and Ulster with bonus points]. We would have wanted that tonight. I was proud of the way the guys came back from 19-6 down to have a chance to win it, but not good enough.”

The fight shown in Parma will need to be replicated and amplified in the weeks to come if Edinburgh are to extend their season into the play-offs.