Friday April 3, 2009
Graeme Macleod reports on Edinburgh Rugby vs. Cardiff Blues in the Magners League for Edinburgh Sport Online.
EDINBURGH Rugby picked up a crucial Magners League win over Cardiff Blues as the speculation regarding coach Andy Robinson’s future continues to grow.
The former England gaffer is the favourite to replace the ousted Frank Hadden as the new Scotland coach. And after this win, the former Bath player did nothing to put the growing rumours to bed.
Robinson watched his charges dominate this game at a foggy Murrayfield. But the home side did struggle to break down the solid Cardiff back line before eventually crossing the try line thanks to Simon Webster. Added to drop goals from Chris Paterson and David Blair, it was enough to see off the toothless Welsh side.
In a fairly uninspiring first half, Edinburgh took the lead on five minutes. The prolific Chris Paterson nailed a 22-metre penalty from just left of centre to put the hosts in front.
The early three-point advantage was just reward for Edinburgh’s positive start. They shifted the ball smartly from left to right but couldn’t quite find a way over the try-line.
A foggy Murrayfield where Edinburgh Rugby defeat Cardiff Blues in the Magners League.
Cardiff looked to hit back two minutes later when Leigh Halfpenny broke forward at pace. But the Blues’ left winger was stopped in his tracks by a solid Phil Godman tackle.
The game then went through a period of both full backs punting the ball from one end of the pitch to the other without making any real progress. That was before Edinburgh had the chance to double their lead on 19 minutes.
Paterson stepped up to take an ambitious, long range penalty from just inside the Cardiff half. But the full back was denied by the woodwork as his effort rattled the left hand post.
Godman then went close with a drop goal effort that flew just past the right post before Cardiff started to take a grip of the proceedings. But the visitors struggled to find a way through the Edinburgh back line.
This was perfectly demonstrated on the stroke of half time as Cardiff moved the ball quickly from left to right. But Edinburgh stood up well to the pressure and had an answer to everything the Welsh side could throw at them. (H-T 3-0).
Edinburgh surged ahead five minutes into the second half with the first – and ultimately only – try of the match. John Houston’s pass found Ben Cairns on the right wing but the centre couldn’t quite find a way over the try-line. So he passed the ball inside to Godman who sent it though to Simon Webster with a sublime piece of passing with his right foot. The Scotland international winger had the easy task of touching the ball down before Chris Paterson stepped up to convert and give the hosts a 10-point lead.
Cardiff looked to strike back 12 minutes later and they would have got back into the match with a try had it not been for a timely Paterson interception. Ben Blair surged down the left and was about to pick up the ball to cross the try-line before Paterson got a foot to it, sending it wide for a line out.
The visitors did get their first points of the night though on 62 minutes when Ben Blair scored a long-range penalty.
But any hopes Cardiff had of making a comeback were all-but dead two minutes later. Chris Paterson fired a 35-yard drop goal which flew through the night sky and clipped the top of the bar on its way over.
And Edinburgh wrapped up the win when replacement David Blair added a further three points to their tally with a left-footed drop goal from 22 metres. (F-T 16-3).
After the game, coach Andy Robinson said: “There were three things I asked for – physically to dominate, a winning mindset to take all the opportunities and for us to really put pressure on ourselves to be able to deliver.
“Every single player stepped up – Scott Newlands, Ross Ford, Scott Macleod, Craig Hamilton, Alan MacDonald and Ally Hogg really came to the party. Also Nick De Luca and John Houston.
“Our next opponents are Leinster and we more than owe them one. They beat us by 50 points earlier this season over in Dublin and destroyed us here in a 20-minute blitz.”
Earlier in the day, Robinson had released the following statement regarding his position and the vacant Scotland post.
“I am going on holiday to watch my son play for England under-18s and I will think through with my family whether I should apply for the role as Scotland head coach.
“I agree with a number of statements that have been made over the past 24 hours that the SRU should take their time to find the right person.”
Edinburgh Rugby – Chris Paterson; John Houston; Ben Cairns; Nick De Luca; Simon Webster; Phil Godman (David Blair 67); Mike Blair (Greig Laidlaw 72); Kyle Traynor (Gavin Kerr 53); Ross Ford (Andrew Kelly 70); Geoff Cross (Traynor 64) (Steven Lawrie 77); Craig Hamilton (Matt Mustchin 47); Scott Macleod; Scott Newlands; Alan MacDonald; Alister Hogg. Replacements unused – Ben Meyer.
Cardiff Blues – Ben Blair; Chris Czekaj; Jamie Robinson; Jamie Roberts; Leigh Halfpenny (Richard Mustoe 51); Nicky Robinson (Ceri Sweeney 58); Richie Rees (Darren Allinson 69); John Yapp; T. Rhys Thomas; Gary Powell (Taufa’ao Filise 60); Bradley Davies; Paul Tito (Deiniol Jones 57); Ben White; Robin Sowden-Taylor; Sam Warburton (Scott Morgan 60). Replacements unused – Gareth Williams.
Attendance – 2540.
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