Late try secures bonus-point win for Edinburgh Rugby women

• 4 Jan 2025
• News

Edinburgh Rugby women's team ran out 22-15 winners against Brython Thunder this afternoon, continuing their perfect start to the new Celtic Challenge season.

Claire Cruikshank’s side scored four tries to secure a richly-deserved bonus-point victory, with winger Cieron Bell crashing over late to grab a brace, and give her side all five points.

Number 8 Sam Taganekurukuru opened the scoring for the capital outfit while vice-captain Hannah Walker continued her rich vein of form, adding a first-half try to make it four on the season so far.

Hannah Lane and Hannah Bluck [2] hit back for the visitors but Edinburgh held on for a big win that keeps them in contention at the top of the table.

In a stop-start opening 20 minutes, both sides struggled to break the gain line with plenty of spills and scrums from both teams.

Samaanther Taganekurukuru scores her side’s first try

Edinburgh finally got a foot hold in the game and the opening score came from impressive number 8 Taganekurukuru.

With Giselle Chicot breaking through in the wide channels, the outside centre found Taganekurukuru who dotted down [5-0].

Edinburgh kept their foot on the gas and soon Hannah Walker was sprinting in for the capital side’s second.

With Lucia Scott dancing through the Thunder defence, she was able to find Walker who did what she does best, rounding her defender with ease to cross the whitewash. [10-0]

Now in the ascendence, the capital side were winning the physical battles across the park and after winning a penalty in the middle of the park, a quick tap and break from scrum-half Rhea Clarke had the Thunder in defence.

With Bell on her shoulder, the ball made its way to the winger who cut inside for the simple touchdown. With Lucy MacRae slotting the conversion it was 17-0 at the break.

Brython were much improved in the second period and were able hit back in the 45^th minute as full-back Lane crashed over [17-5].

It was soon a one-score game as Bluck hit a short line to power over the line [17-10] however that try acted as a wake up call for Edinburgh who were able to get hold of the encounter once again and close out the match in style.

With the ball in the Thunder 22, quick hands and straight running eventually gave Bell the chance to touch down in the corner, bringing Hive Stadium to its feet as the bonus-point was secured [22-15].

Edinburgh were made to sweat for the win however as Buck grabbed her second of the match in the 78^thminute to make it 22-15, but that was all she wrote as Claire Cruikshank’s team made it back-to-back bonus point victories to start the season.