Rugby: Edinburgh U18 15-5 Glasgow U18

By ALAN LORIMER
Published on 13/02/2013 23:57

Edinburgh emerged winners over Glasgow Warriors in hostile conditions of high wind and driving rain at Murrayfield for last night’s under-18 trial match played on the 4G pitch.

Scorers:

Edinburgh Under-18: Tries: Burnside, Irvine-Hess. Con: Douglas. Pen: Swan.

Glasgow Under-18: Try: Mackie.

“It was a great effort from both teams in such difficult conditions,” said the Scotland Under-18 coach, Eddie Pollock. “Both sides were very physical in the tackle and the contact areas and pleasingly they both endeavoured to play rugby.”

In the extreme conditions on the back pitch, neither side was able to achieve much continuity in their play and it became a battle of forward strength. Edinburgh’s pack finished just ahead but there were some excellent contributions by the Glasgow forwards, among whom prop Cameron Fenton, No 8 Alasdair Mackie and openside flanker Chris Jollands impressed.

Edinburgh had a chance early in the game to attack from a five-metre scrum only to give away a free kick in a prime position, allowing Glasgow to kick their way back into their opponents’ half. Then after Gavin Lowe had missed a long-range penalty attempt, Mackie backed up a move to touch down in the corner.

Minutes into the second half Edinburgh took the lead with Matt Douglas’s conversion of a try by dynamic flanker Scott Burnside. The lead was extended when lock Neil Irvine-Hess was driven over from a line-out and further when replacement Alex Swan kicked a penalty goal.

Glasgow hit back and came desperately close to scoring when Lowe looped round on the end of a move to dive over. But his foot was judged to be in touch, leaving Glasgow unable to close the gap.

Edinburgh Under-18: G Parker (Merchiston Castle School); I Sim (Duns), R Taylor (Loretto/Melrose Wasps), H Slater (Merchiston Castle School), R Watt (Edinburgh Accies); M Douglas (Hawick High School/Gosforth), D Swanson (Edinburgh Academy); R Paterson (North Berwick High School), R Graham (Hawick PSA/Hawick High School), A McWilliam (Edinburgh Academy), M Poole (George Watson’s College), N Irvine-Hess (George Watson’s College), S Burnside (North Berwick High School/Oban Lorne), A Miller (George Watson’s College), M Bradbury (Merchiston Castle School) Subs R Simpson (Edinburgh Academy), C Baikie (Dunbar Grammar School/Dunbar), G Robertson (Gala Wanderers/Galashiels Academy), L Carmichael (North Berwick High School), S Hutchison (Longridge Towers/Melrose Wasps), S Halliday (Peebles High School), A Swan (Edinburgh Academy).

Glasgow Under-18: B Cochrane (Dundee High School); C Hay (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby), A Russell (Stirling County), C Simpkins (Dunfermline),P Ramsay (Kilmarnock); G Lowe (Ayr), L Earle-Wright (Aberdeen Grammar Rugby); C Fenton (Strathallan/Howe of Fife), G Stuart (Dalziel), A Fagerson (Strathallan/Howe of Fife), J Ritchie (Strathallan/Howe of Fife), E Bulger (Marr College/Ayr), R Knott (Loretto/Highland), C Jollands (Dundee High School), A Mackie (Stirling County/Dollar Academy) Subs C Goldie (Dumfries), S Govan (Stirling County), A Wallace (Deeside), A Leishman (Stirling County), B Johnston (Marr College/Ayr), C Willison (Howe of Fife).