Edinburgh ends drought with eight-try demolition of Connacht
MATCH REPORT: Edinburgh ended their three-game losing run in some style against Connacht, scoring eight tries in a 56-8 United Rugby Championship victory.
Blair Kinghorn orchestrated proceedings from flyhalf and Argentina international Emiliano Boffelli was on devastating form with the boot, converting all of his team’s tries in their biggest URC win of the season so far.
Curiously, given how the game turned out, Connacht dominated the opening half-hour and might easily have scored more than eight points.
Jack Carty opened the scoring with a penalty and then Peter Sullivan did well to scoop a low pass off the deck and touch down in the right corner, but they passed up several chances to add to their lead, especially when Edinburgh number eight Mesu Kunavula was in the sin bin for a high tackle.
After playing second fiddle for so long, Edinburgh burst into life in the 10 minutes before the interval, scoring three tries.
Kinghorn laid on the first for Boffelli after Glen Young had stolen line-out ball.
Henry Immelman then burst through for the second after good work by Chris Dean, and hooker Dave Cherry marked his 50th appearance for the team by getting the third from a line-out drive.
With Boffelli converting all three, that gave Mike Blair’s team a 21-8 lead at the break. They still had some work to do in order to secure the win, and went about it with a will straight from the restart.
Within minutes Kinghorn got the bonus-point try after a speedy one-two with number eight Ben Muncaster. The fly-half soon provided the scoring pass for the fifth, finished off by Ramiro Moyano.
When Immelman scored again from a floated pass by Dean, there were still 20 minutes to play. There was little or no life left in Connacht by that time, however, and they conceded again less than 10 minutes later when Young finished off from close range.
Edinburgh academy prospects Rudi Brown and Jamie Campbell came on for their debuts late on, and replacement scrumhalf Ben Vellacott rounded off a highly successful night for his team with a solo try minutes from time.
Player of the Match
Kinghorn could quite easily have scooped the individual honour after sparking his team’s recovery, but it was full-back Immelman who took home the medal.
Boasting eight successful carries, six defenders beaten, three clean breaks, 122 metres gained and a pair of tries – all game-high tallies – few will argue with the decision.
Play of the Match
Kinghorn showed his running and handling skills at their best by making a half-break then slipping a one-handed offload away to Boffelli for Edinburgh’s first points of the night.
The home team needed a moment of magic to get back into the game after half an hour under pressure, and the flyhalf was happy to provide it.
The scorers
For Edinburgh
Tries: Boffelli, Immelman 2, Cherry, Kinghorn, Moyano, Young, Vellacott
Cons: Boffelli 8
For Connacht
Try: Sullivan
Pen: Carty
Teams:
Edinburgh: 15 Henry Immelman, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 James Lang, 12 Chris Dean, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Henry Pyrgos (captain), 8 Mesulame Kunavula, 7 Connor Boyle, 6 Ben Muncaster, 5 Glen Young, 4 Pierce Phillips, 3 Angus Williams, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Boan Venter.
Replacements: 16 Adam McBurney, 17 Harrison Courtney, 18 Lee-Roy Atalifo, 19 Jamie Campbell, 20 Rudi Brown, 21 Ben Vellacott, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Matt Currie.
Connacht: 15 John Porch, 14 Peter Sullivan, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Tom Daly, 11 Alex Wootton, 10 Jack Carty (captain), 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Paul Boyle, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Leva Fifita, 4 Oisin Dowling, 3 Jack Aungier, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Jordan Duggan.
Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Tietie Tuimauga, 18 Dominic Robertson-McCoy, 19 Niall Murray, 20 Abraham Papali’i, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Tom Farrell, 23 Jarrad Butler.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Finlay Brown (Scotland) & Ross Mabon (Scotland)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
Source: @URCOfficial
