Plenty to applaud in landmark away win
- Published
Edinburgh recorded a glorious victory to herald this new era and if the game against Ulster is any kind of yardstick the number of emotions this season conjures up could be huge.
Last year there was pretty much just one. Disappointment. Thankfully that was the one feeling entirely absent from the gamut that assaulted my brain as this extraordinary game unfolded.
No one gave Edinburgh much of a chance but at half-time we were 20-5 ahead and had possession and territory figures in the 70% region.
Two minutes later Hector Patterson scored what may already be a candidate for try of the season and Edinburgh were more than three converted scores ahead.
Heads were being scratched to the point of requiring first aid. Then another try secured the bonus point. Minds were blown and scripts hastily rewritten.
James Grayson's fourth conversion of the night made it 34-5 but there were 30-plus minutes to go. Ulster may have been rattled but they fought back to the point that with six minutes to go I could feel the tension within the stadium through the TV.
A Euan McVie turnover secured a penalty we kicked to the corner. We won the lineout which in itself was a surprise and then somehow forgot that the clock was in the red until Liam McConnell, clearly channelling every Edinburgh supporter, ended the game by kicking the ball into touch.
There was plenty to applaud. Freddy Douglas' turnover ability. James Grayson's control. Malelili Satala's chases and tackles. Piers O'Conor had possibly his best game in an Edinburgh shirt - his tackle that prevented the try in the corner was match saving. Magnus Bradbury led by excellent example.
There were also some things to work on. The lineout was wonky. The wide defence was leaky. Three of Ulster's tries were in the corner and in that last 30 they targeted that area repeatedly.
It would be churlish though to detract from what was an outstanding win at a place where we have struggled in the past, especially with the injury list we have.
So, a first-ever opening day bonus-point away win and a first-ever bonus-point win in Belfast. The next 'this is new' target awaits us next week at the Hive - 10 points in the opening two games.
