Second-half fightback secures pre-season win

• 13 Sep 2024
• News

A second-half comeback saw Edinburgh Rugby kickstart the season with a 33-26 victory against Gloucester at Hive Stadium.

Trailing 19-26 at the break, second-half tries from Tom Dodd and Dave Cherry secured the win, alongside some heroic defence from an all-new XV that was changed at the interval.

Darcy Graham grabbed a score on his return from injury while summer recruits Mosese Tuipulotu, Ross Thompson, Matt Scott, Magnus Bradbury and Paul Hill all showed up well in a contest that was a real game of two halves.

Gloucester grabbed the first score of the evening as centre Max Llewellyn powered over after three minutes, finishing a cutting move which saw the hosts showcase plenty of power in the loose.

Edinburgh hit back almost immediately with a beautifully worked score finished by the returning Graham.

With the ball in the Gloucester 22, quick service put Tuipulotu in space and the centre was able to find Graham who leaped into the Murrayfield end corner, bringing Hive Stadium to its feet.

A big hit from Tuipulotu – that forced his opposite man into touch – kept momentum in his side’s favour, however the visitors were quick to regain the lead as Zach Mercer showcased his strength to muscle over.

With scrum-half Tomos Williams finishing a well-worked score, the Cherry & Whites extended their lead and looked to be building towards a sizeable half-time lead, but Sean Everitt’s side showcased a bit of grit to cut the deficit.

With a strong lineout drive edging the capital pack within metres of the Gloucester whitewash, Bradbury was too big and too strong to be stopped.

With Gloucester adding another score from prop Afo Fasogbon, the visitors held a 19-26 lead at the break.

Sean Everitt rang the changes at the break with an all-new XV and they brought the energy from the restart.

With Ben Muncaster and Connor Boyle bundles of energy in the back-row, it was another flanker Tom Dodd who wrestled over to level the encounter, bringing Hive Stadium to its feet.

With the hosts in the ascendence, the pack were turning the screw and with every hard yard and abrasive carry edging the hosts forward, Gloucester were in reverse as the ref started to whistle.

And when Healy nudged a penalty into the corner, Dave Cherry was the man who touched down to complete the comeback.

From attack to defence, Edinburgh were camped on their own line for the final 15 minutes however guts and courageous scrambling kept Gloucester out, giving the hosts a deserved Scottish Building Society pre-season win.