Edinburgh 27 - 16 Leinster: Lions hope but Ford is focused on Edinburgh

Published on Saturday 18 April 2009 11:24

FOR Ross Ford, it has been a late run to put himself into contention for a coveted Lions tour jersey.

And the hooker acknowledges he can now only hope that his above-average display, as Edinburgh defeated Leinster27-16 in front of a 2747 crowd at Murrayfield to go third in the Celtic League, will be sufficient to get him into the squad when it is announced on Tuesday.

"I'm quietly pleased with the way I performed in the last couple of weeks and I'm starting to play the way I should be playing," he said.

"After a Six Nations where by anybody's standards I ought to have been standing out more, (Edinburgh coach) Andy Robinson has been pointing out bits and pieces to push me forward.

"Whatever happens with the Lions, all the boys are quietly hoping I will keep on working hard," said Ford in response to speculation fuelled by Robinson during his summing up of a match in which Edinburgh were unable to gain a bonus point despite getting three of the requisite four tries early doors.

Asked who, within the context of what was a third straight league win, had the best chance of making the Lions for the visit to South Africa, it was noticeable that Ford was the first of three names across the lips of a coach comparatively tongue-tied when it came to declaring his own interest – or otherwise – in the vacant Scotland post ahead of Monday's application deadline.

"In the last couple of months, Ross Ford has stepped up and has put himself in a position to be selected," said Robinson.

"Mike Blair has put himself in position and, whenever you go on tour, you look at a goal-kicker. International rugby is won and lost by inches. So Mossy (Chris Paterson) has put himself in position with his accuracy.

"I'm not saying they should go; that's down to the selectors. They have put themselves in a position to go."

The three players singled out certainly looked to this observer the pick for Edinburgh in a match where tries came from Ally Hogg, John Houston and Simon Webster. Typically, Ford took a balanced view in gratefully accepting victory while ruing what might have been.

"The first half hour was really quite good and then we dropped off and let them back in. The spark never really returned."

Noticeably at the final whistle, Edinburgh players stood stoop-shouldered wearing pained expressions suggesting only partial satisfaction – and rightly so.

"We are striving to be more ruthless which is the next step up and the dressing-room was pretty quiet although it was a win," said Ford.

It is right that a bonus should be regarded as exactly that – an increment that can't be taken for granted.

But that Edinburgh body language at full-time said it all and thoughts inevitably drifted back to a key incident involving Paterson, who had earlier distinguished himself on the way to a sponsors' man-of-the-match award with a try-saving tackle on visiting flanker Stephen Keogh.

It was at the other end that, for once, Paterson fell short on a night when his goal-kicking was exemplary – five out of five.

Racing towards the Leinster "22" after 47 minutes, Paterson attempted to cut inside and ignored the overlapping John Houston.

A fourth try then and a Leinster side lacking a string of front line players could have folded instead of drawing the inspiration for a tour-de-force which included a soft try much to Robinson's chagrin when John Fogarty was allowed to dart through a ruck.

"I'm disappointed how sloppy we were with the try they scored. Not good," said Robinson.

As for Edinburgh's attack, when they were good they were very good – as shown by a three-try blitz within the space of 14 first-half minutes.

Kick-starting the temporary procession was Ally Hogg after the ball had kept alive through multiple phases before Ben Cairns and Phil Godman created the vital gap. Chris Paterson converted as he was to do on two more occasions before settling for penalties from close range to get faltering Edinburgh across the finishing line.

Next over the whitewash was Houston after elusive footwork from Ford in sidestepping into space and providing the pass which sent the winger in from 30 metres.

With Leinster looking rocky there was no respite when Mike Blair stole away in the prelude to Simon Webster galloping round behind the posts on an overlap.

And that should have been that.

Alas, Fergus McFadden slotted penalties on either side of the interval and replied after Paterson had provided some breathing space with a similar effort.

Indeed, McFadden contributed further with the conversion of Fogarty's touchdown and, despite huffing and puffing, all Edinburgh could manage in the final quarter was a concluding penalty from Paterson.

Scorers:

Edinburgh: Tries: Hogg, Houston, Webster. Conversions: Paterson (3). Penalties: Paterson (2).

Leinster: Try: Fogarty. Conversion: McFadden. Penalties: McFadden (3).

Edinburgh: Paterson, Houston, Cairns, De Luca, Webster, Godman (D Blair, 52), M Blair, captain, Traynor, Ford, Cross (Grant, 59), C Hamilton (MacLeod, 52), J Hamilton, Newlands (Mustchin, 59), Hogg, Macdonald.

Leinster: Dempsey, Horgan, McFadden, D'Arcy, Simon Keogh (Brown, 22), Nacewa, Keane (O'Donohoe, 55), McCormack (Knoop, 45-52), Fogarty (Blaney, 76), Knoop (Le Roux, 40), Cullen, captain, Hogan (Toner, 50), Jowitt (McLaughlin, 56), Stephen Keogh, O'Brien.

Referee: Mr T Hayes (Wales).