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'You’ve got to pretty much suffocate the opposition' - Edinburgh coach

By PA
Edinburgh senior coach Sean Everitt before the United Rugby Championship match between Ulster and Edinburgh at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. (Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Sean Everitt feels Edinburgh must find a way of “suffocating” Glasgow if they are to overturn a 12-point deficit to claim the 1872 Cup at Murrayfield on Saturday.

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Warriors defeated the men from the Scottish capital 22-10 in the first leg of the inter-city derby at Scotstoun last Friday.

Senior Edinburgh coach Everitt knows his team will need to be in full control of proceedings at the national stadium this weekend if they are to give themselves a chance of the big win they require to land the silverware and the local bragging rights.

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However, the South African is adamant that simply defeating Glasgow and claiming United Rugby Championship points has to be their main objective.

“We mustn’t forget we are in a URC competition and points are vital,” he said when asked about striking the balance between victory this weekend and chasing down the 12-point deficit.

“We’ve got to look at getting league points first and that’s by winning. We’ll always have the deficit in the back of our minds but it’s about how you eat into that deficit.

“One of them is when you get an opportunity to put points on the board, you cannot concede soft points. You’ve got to pretty much suffocate the opposition to be able to get that points difference.

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“For us, it’s about the URC at this stage so we’re going to go out for the win first and then we’ll have a look at getting into that deficit.”

Everitt has made two changes to the side that started the first match at Scotstoun, with Luke Crosbie replacing Hamish Watson in the back row and centre Mark Bennett taking over from the injured James Lang.

The coach will be hoping his side are boosted by news over the past week that “X-factor” Scotland wings Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham have both extended their contracts, by one and three years respectively.

“It’s a massive boost for Edinburgh and Scottish rugby,” said Everitt. “We’re delighted to have them both sign on. They contribute a lot to the team and we rely on the experience they bring as international rugby players.

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“Darcy has been in scintillating form in the last World Cup and we know how dangerous he can be with ball in hand.

“With defences the way they are at the moment, you need these X-factor players and they both certainly bring that to the field at the weekend.”

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R
RedWarriors 52 minutes ago
How Dupont-less France tossed a grenade into Ireland's Grand Slam celebrations

In both instances, Ireland can cross halfway in comfort and there are 20 or 30 metres of space in which to work, but a clear sense of purpose is conspicuously absent. Whether it stumbled into a handling error or a breakdown pilfer or delivered a negative kick back to their opponents, Ireland’s transition attack was toothless.”


I disagree with this in the first instance there is a three on one if Osborne receives the pass. He will get past Moefana with only Ramos appearing to confront Osborne, Aki and Sheehan with no-one behind. Probable try, not toothless. As Osborne is on the opposite wing to what he has been training for there is a handling error (understandable). You did acknowledge that Lowe was a blow, but thsi was not a toothless attack, the French defense was beaten there.

The second instance is a kick to Nash, again he will not have trained as much on kick receipts and takes the ball into trouble. Ireland’s systemic preparation is massively important to them but vulnerable to a pre match injury.


As I said previously, in all parallell universes France win, but it might have been a better and more interesting contest without that Injury.


My hopeful view before that match was of a Leinster-LaRochelle type scenario with Ireland building a score and then withstanding an onslaught. Turned out first half was a low scoring Leinster-LaRochelle encounter. Second half was tired Leinster versus Fresh Toulouse.

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