Edinburgh player ratings vs Bulls | 2024/25 URC quarter-finals

Edinburgh player ratings: Edinburgh’s hopes of reaching a first URC semi-final ended with a 42-33 defeat by the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.

Two Ross Thompson tries helped the Scottish side lead 21-8 after 30 minutes but the Bulls turned on the power with five tries either side of the interval in a blitz of 31 unanswered points.

Edinburgh rallied with tries from Ewan Ashman and Wes Goosen around the hour, but couldn’t make further inroads in a frantic finale as a brave effort came up short.

Here is how the Edinburgh players fared:

15. Wes Goosen – 8
Took his early first try superbly by stepping on the gas and dotting down in the left corner. A safe pair of hands at the back, always dangerous on the counter and on the end of a superb attack to claim his second score.

14. Darcy Graham – 6
Needed treatment early on after being clattered by opposite number De Klerk but returned to the fray after 10 minutes off for an HIA. Exposed defensively by Le Roux for Bulls’ fourth try when he came out of the line but a bit of trademark magic sparked a superb move for Goosen’s second try.

13. Matt Currie – 6.5
Dangerous and willing runner who linked well with his back three, particularly in one exchange with Paterson up the left flank. Contributed 10 carries and was still taking the fight to the Bulls in the latter stages.

12. James Lang – 6
Another who contributed well in attack when Edinburgh were manipulating the Bulls defence in the first half, which he ended by winning a vital turnover as the hosts threatened another try. Influence waned though and forced off after 52 minutes.

11. Harry Paterson – 5.5
Escaped up the left in the first half after a neat link-up with Currie before the attack floundered with a penalty conceded at the ruck. Found good distance in his clearing kicks.

10. Ross Thompson – 7.5
Took both his tries superbly – only his second and third for Edinburgh. Spotted a mis-match for his first, with Wilco Louw in front of him, and stepped and twisted away from defenders for his second. Kicked four from four at goal but sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on on the hour and didn’t return.

9. Ali Price – 6.5
Playing his final game for the club before heading to pastures new this summer, the scrum-half kept at it for the full 80, keeping the tempo high in an excellent first half and relieving pressure with some pinpoint kicking. Hesitant in defence for the Vorster try, but can hold his head high.

1. Pierre Schoeman – 5
Tough day at the office for the Lions selection. Helped win a scrum penalty in the first half and made his fair share of tackles but unusually, barely seen with ball in hand, with only two carries to his name. A day his team needed more from him.

2. Ewan Ashman – 7
One overthrown lineout when he missed Ritchie but otherwise found his targets at lineout time, scrummaged hard under severe pressure and took his try well before departing on the hour.

3. Darcy Rae – 5
Forced off for an HIA in the first half but returned to the fray. Struggled with the power of Wessels at scrum-time and visibly tired in the punishing heat and altitude, conceding an offside penalty before being replaced by Sebastian.

4. Marshall Sykes – 5.5
A day of unremitting toil in the trenches for the big lock, who put his body on the line and got through a ton of work but struggled to disrupt more powerful opponents.

5. Sam Skinner – 6.5
With no second-row cover on the bench, both locks had to go the full 80 in the heat. Skinner ran an efficient lineout operation and one superb floated pass to Bennett in the lead-up to Goosen’s second try showed he is not just a piano shifter.

6. Jamie Ritchie – 6.5
Fired up on what proved to be his final game for the club – his 130th – before joining Perpignan this summer. Safe lineout option at the front but conceded a couple of penalties – one overturned after he shoved Coetzee. Promptly won a vital turnover and then stole a Bulls lineout before departing in the 52nd minute.

7. Hamish Watson – 7
The old stager may not be quite the menace on the floor or the pinball wizard in attack of his halcyon days but still put in a huge defensive shift, topping the tackle count with 18.

8. Magnus Bradbury – 7.5
Tidied up well and the stand-in captain took the fight to the Bulls with some muscular carries – 21 of them in all, nine more than any other Edinburgh player. But will rue the dropped restart when Edinburgh had got back to 39-28, that allowed Bulls to keep their noses in front.

Replacements
16. Paddy Harrison – 5.5
Brought energy in the final quarter with half a dozen carries as Edinburgh briefly threatened a late comeback.

17. Boan Venter – 6
The consistency of Schoeman deprives him of more opportunities but brought set-piece strength and some powerful rumbles for the final 30 minutes.

18. Javan Sebastian – 6.5
Got a 10-minute run-out in the first half and helped steady the scrum when he replaced Rae for the final half-hour, putting himself about in the loose too in his final game before leaving this summer.

19. Liam McConnell – N/A
The academy graduate came on for the final seven minutes after replacing Bradbury. Invaluable experience in only his fourth senior outing.

20. Ben Muncaster – 7
Unlucky not to start, the back-rower brought plenty of belligerence and dynamism to help spark Edinburgh’s final-quarter rally. A likely Scotland tourist this summer and should continue to prosper next season.

21. Conor McAlpine – Not used

22. Ben Healy – 4
Deployed for the final 10 minutes after Thompson’s sin-bin period ended. One misdirected cross-kick that almost went backwards signed off a disappointing season for the former Munster man.

23. Mark Bennett – 6
An early replacement when Graham departed for an HIA, then introduced for Lang after 52 minutes. One brilliant break showed the former Scotland centre still has plenty to offer despite no longer having a future with Edinburgh.