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United Rugby Championship

Edinburgh hold off Benetton’s second-half fightback to return to winning ways

By PA
Duhan van der Merwe of Edinburgh during the United Rugby Championship match between Ulster and Edinburgh at the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Edinburgh were made to work against Benetton as they held on for a thrilling 50-33 victory in one of the most entertaining games of the United Rugby Championship season.

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The hosts made things hard for themselves by letting a 35-0 half-time slip and they needed a late rally to make the game safe.

They started well with wing Duhan van der Merwe scoring in the corner with his first touch after just 65 seconds.

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Back-row forward Ben Muncaster got a second try that was quickly followed by two in a row from Magnus Bradbury to give his side a 28-0 lead after just 24 minutes. They added their fifth just before the break through prop Paul Hill.

The Italian outfit were much better in the second half after getting a rocket from their coach Marco Bortolami at the interval.

They got a try through Paolo Odogwu in what was their first attack of the match then replacement hooker Augustin Creevy crossed for a quickfire double.

Conceding 19 points in less than 20 second-half minutes forced Edinburgh to buck up their ideas and there was a sigh of relief when Ali Price got their sixth try.

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There was still fight in Benetton who got their fourth touchdown thanks to Alessandro Izekor to earn them a losing point.

It was a special game for 19-year-old Freddy Douglas, who made his professional debut for Edinburgh when he replaced Magnus Bradbury after the Italian’s fourth try.

In a unique situation, Douglas’ maiden club appearance came three weeks after making his Scotland debut against Portugal three weeks ago.

Benetton got their fifth try to make Edinburgh nervous again when Malakai Fekitoa went in under the posts with 10 minutes left.

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Only a second try of the game from Muncaster and a penalty from Ben Healy ended Benetton’s second-half fightback.

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Comments on RugbyPass

G
GS 8 minutes ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

Sadly for you, Market forces will always win out, and the reality is that both NZ and Oz are small economies in a much larger Rugby ecosystem. I don’t like it, would love it to be changed. However, NZ and Oz can only generate a certain amount of $$$ to sustain our comps.


So unless you can somehow transform NZ and Oz’s ability to generate enough money to retain our players - well we come to where we are now at, where the Highlanders Squad has an average age of 22 and unless the likes of Timoci Tavatavanawai, Umaga-Jensen and Fokatava get picked in the ABs squad, they will head off-shore in the next year or two, to max out their remaining rugby playing years.


Then, as far as the French clubs go, yip, not exactly healthy stuff - but do you think it’s fair to stop a kid from heading offshore at 16 to generate an income for him and his family? Again if Oz thinks that highly of their potential, it’s up to them to put the $$ in front of the kid to ensure he sticks around.


What’s the alternative? Take away his passport and right to earn a living?


Then, as far as opening the gate—well, it’s already happened—look at the Irish, Scottish, and French rugby teams in the WC. All had imports via residency or the grandparent rule in key positions—I mean, Ireland had more South Hemisphere players in the backline than Irish-born players.

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Abang Lulung 17 minutes ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

🏍️💨💨💨

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Abang Lulung 36 minutes ago
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The best..🙏🏻 🙏🏻

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Abang Lulung 42 minutes ago
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GM 43 minutes ago
'We've been searching': Clark Laidlaw's honest reflection after win in Canberra

You’ve got to give Laidlaw credit for his courage in selections - Love is the primary one that springs to mind, but Mafileo at loosehead was immense against the Wallaby tight-head. I’m sure Razor and Jason will be paying attention to him and Ollie Norris as replacements for Ofa. One of the great strengths of the Canes is that they could put three front rows out on the field which could hold their own with anyone - it was Mafileo, Tuputupu and Tosi who started against the Brumbies, and then there’s Numia, Aumua and Lomax, and Rakete-Stones and Sione Lauaki behind them. I wonder if Mafileo’s performance will see him start from now on, with Numia being a great impact option.

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Ardy 1 hour ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

James O’Connor, as an original member of the 3 amigo’s, has turned out to be the best of them. A classic example to young men who have ‘slipped up’ and defines how to rebuild yourself into a man. My observations of similar men is that they often end up far more worthwhile/interesting than the young man who did the right thing.

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Ardy 1 hour ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

History is littered with instances where the money has been used and abused to get advantage, and your silly statement of ‘just pay them more’ when Aus/NZ do not have access to a wide viewer market defies reason.

If it is only a reprieve in the current French club system, which has been going on since the 70’’s, then it is worth it. To open the gates to all countries to get whatever they can afford could be disastrous for the RWC in 20 years.

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JW 1 hour ago
Kini Naholo powers Hurricanes to upset win over Brumbies In Canberra

I was actually muling over the idea that if Big Jim isn’t selected for the All Blacks this year I’d love for him to become a cornerstone of the Fijian midfield and get a big contract over in Japan.


Fiji don’t necessarily need another midfielder but I reckon he could be their best anyway.


The problem is CR New Zealand has been a destination for Islanders going back centuries, and it’s teams have built great rapport with them. So it’s automatically like a second home, and a lot of them simply don’t want to leave, and attaining All Black status is the only way you can achieve a reasonable income here.


If WR was able to help in some way, and in helping the Drua and Moana it will help no end with those players, simply being able to receive a good wage for their first home team, or their Kiwi SR team, is what’s going to make the biggest difference to this problem/situation.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
Kini Naholo powers Hurricanes to upset win over Brumbies In Canberra

Or Promoting Fihaki!

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J
JW 1 hour ago
Kini Naholo powers Hurricanes to upset win over Brumbies In Canberra

Did Reece used to have this power? I know I enjoyed his DMac like runs when he first came about, but the guys character, and now I also don’t seem to enjoy his runs for some reason anymore. Has he even got bigger legs and less agility now? Clarke had an amazing season all considered last year, after he decided to work on speed by dropping a few kg’s.


Kini still seems to have the raw explosive power, which generates as quick feet and acceleration, but I’m not like his long term prospects with aging.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
Japan's proposed anti-diverse 'blood' eligibility law after foreign player influx

I was a bit disappointed reading the article and what they’re actually doing. I thought this was going to involve some advanced bloody analysis with DNA ancestry or something lol.


I’m not sure you’ve understood the change though (or the article has correctly educated me), as there is no change to the Japan team, this is really about participation (incentivizing growth through to the JRLO, and the rest will take care of itself ala SA’s reformation). I think they’re really happy with the fan base as Japan also has a big culture for overseas stars.

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JW 2 hours ago
Japan's proposed anti-diverse 'blood' eligibility law after foreign player influx

That’s natural though no? Was the same with Lydia Ko.


Sure you’re not just misjudge the effects of a large population?

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JW 2 hours ago
Japan's proposed anti-diverse 'blood' eligibility law after foreign player influx

Only if you’re a racist!

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J
JW 2 hours ago
Japan's proposed anti-diverse 'blood' eligibility law after foreign player influx

There is no confusion Fin, only a lack of understanding.

it isn’t like that at all. Japan aren’t saying you become japanese after 5 years of living there, they are saying that you only became japanese by having japanese “blood”.

Wrong on both counts. Read my post again. WR are saying you’re not Japanese until you’ve had 5 years there and JRFU are saying you can be after 30 tests. Don’t get too confused here, you raised two topics that I’m having to reply to, but theres absolutely no difference in either.

Not sure why you’re bringing up Fiji, a team no one has mentioned because they clearly bear no relation to the topic at hand.

The Drua are identical to Moana.

no it isn’t. A person can call themselves white, but you can’t have a whites only team.

Of course you can. You just can’t make it represent a whole country ala South Africa. I’m sure theres hundres of Scottish or Irish rep teams all over.


At least you got one thing right, a person can call themselves white if they want, or Maori, and be involved in any such like minded group. Just don’t be like the KKK and make it a racial group 😋


While I’m sure you realise you’re wrong about about the picture you tried to paint (and probably new before posting) in your OP, I don’t have faith that you were able to corelate the two examples. Happy to keep replying until you do, again.

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J
JW 2 hours ago
Japan's proposed anti-diverse 'blood' eligibility law after foreign player influx

They always would have, just not over a team that’s able to give the sport a spotlight in their country.


They think they’re in a position to do both now?

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J
JW 2 hours ago
'Good men doing great work': Rob Penney credits leadership group in latest victory

If you’re on the loosing side, he’d be great. If you’re on the winning side though I’d prefer not to risk my head!

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