Edinburgh 28 Scarlets 29: Tackle-shy Scots punished

Senior Sports Writer

Saturday 27 October 2012

Edinburgh's troubles deepened at Murrayfield last night as an error-strewn performance ended with them stumbling to a sixth successive defeat.

Edinburgh's Matt Scott, left, vies with Scarlets' Johnathan Edwards and Nick Reynolds, right, at Murrayfield,

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Kevin Ferrie

Having failed to trouble the scorers in their previous two matches, they did, at least, end that drought. However, a 4-1 try count in favour of the visitors indicated that the final margin of a single point slightly flattered the home side.

It was a match that Michael Bradley, their coach, felt they did enough to win, but he acknowledged that their defensive frailty had been critical. "Tonight is a game we could have won and perhaps should have won . . . however you have to make your tackles," he said. "You can't expect to win matches if you don't make your tackles."The first clear-cut opportunity was carved out by the visitors three minutes into the game as Gareth Davies made a clean break just inside the Edinburgh half and got beyond the 22-metre line before being stopped. Defenders were struggling to get back and the home team were consequently lucky that, with what looked like a three man overlap, Liam Williams spilled the ball in trying to get it through his hands quickly to those lining up outside. Edinburgh were more clinical when they crafted their first opportunity six minutes later.Matt Scott's vision created the opportunity as he realised the Scarlets defence was narrow as Edinburgh moved the ball left midway inside their half and the international centre wound up a huge double miss pass to get the ball to Tim Visser.The time the ball was in the air allowed George North to get across but Visser fed John Houston who took the ball in close. When he was tackled the ball was recycled quickly and moved towards the posts where WP Nel set up another ruck under the posts and Visser arrived at full steam to register his eighth try of the season and Edinburgh's first points in three weeks.The response was almost immediate, however, as the Scarlets again showed their attacking prowess, probing repeatedly through a succession of quick phases in the home 22 before working the ball left where some deft handling created enough room for the powerful North to plough through a tackle.Both tries were converted and Harry Leonard nudged his side ahead a second time with an 18th minute penalty, but again the Scarlets came right back again and this time moved ahead.The nature of the score would not have pleased Billy McGinty, the Edinburgh defence coach, coming all too easily as Davies darted away from a scrum just outside the 22 and shrugged off Ross Rennie's tackle before feeding Nick Reynolds around 10 metres out and the centre had built up enough pace to slide in under the posts as he was tackled.A second Leonard penalty reduced the leeway to a single point and the Scarlets were forced to give away another kickable chance after a fine break down the right by Scott which the stand off duly knocked over to put his side ahead for a third time.Yet again the porous defence could not hold the lead for any more than a few moments, however, as North all too easily batted his way through three would-be tacklers to score on the left.A brace of Leonard penalties levelled the scores but Edinburgh could have little complaint about trailing as they turned for the second half after once again contributing to their own problems in conceding the try that earned the Scarlets a bonus point.The opportunity came from an Edinburgh lineout deep in their own half which they duly lost. The Scarlets once again moved the ball swiftly both ways across the pitch as they sought an opening and when they got under the posts Tomas Vallejos drove for the line.Rennie did superbly to strip the ball out of the lock's hands just a couple of metres short of the line but new Scotland recruit Stuart McInally then knocked it on and the lively Davies gathered before battled his way over, half-back partner Aled Thomas converting to put the Scarlets 26-19 ahead at the break.Davies' sin-binning 10 minutes into the second half gave Edinburgh a chance to get back on terms but were restricted to a further brace of Leonard penalties during his absence. His seventh successful penalty then put his side ahead for a fourth time with 14 minutes of the game but it seemed unlikely, given what had happened previously, that they would be able to hold on.In fairness they showed greater resilience than previously in the match, but another energetic Scarlets attack was rewarded with a penalty less than three minutes before the end and Wales' grand slam winning stand off Rhys Priestland, a second half replacement, duly knocked it over.

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Edinburgh 28 Scarlets 29: Tackle-shy Scots punished

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