Ali Price praised for Edinburgh debut impact as Sean Everitt reveals video clip behind half-time turnaround

Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh coach, praised the contribution of Ali Price as the scrum-half stepped off the bench to help his new club to a 31-23 win over the Vodacom Bulls at Hive Stadium.

Ali Price in action during his Edinburgh debut after coming off the bench in the win over Bulls. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

Price made a surprise loan switch to the capital last week after nine seasons with Glasgow Warriors and replaced Ben Vellacott in the 54th minute of the bonus point victory.

“Ali Price came on and he certainly speeded up the game,” said Everitt. “His kicking was pinpoint and there was an improvement in that department when he came on. I am just happy he got on and got a win in his first game.”

Price, Vellacott and Charlie Shiel will now vie for the No 9 jersey while another international scrum-half, Scott Steele, is currently sidelined by injury. “It is great to have three nines like that because we can give them a break as it is a hell of a workload so I am just happy we have three quality nines that can challenge each other,” added Everitt. “They can't play the whole season so when you can rest one there is a quality guy stepping up and that is what wins you competitions.”

The win takes Edinburgh up to second place in the United Rugby Championship ahead of the Saturday fixtures but Everitt felt his side made it more difficult than it should have been against opponents who lost captain Marcell Coetzee to a red card early in the second half. He was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Pierre Schoeman. There were also three yellow cards, for the Bulls’ Cameron Hanekom and Sergeal Peterson and Edinburgh’s Bill Mata.

“We made it tight for ourselves,” said Everitt. “In the first half we struggled. We lost the breakdown battle - they bullied us there. [At half-time] I showed them a video clip of when we got on top of them between minute 35 and 40 when we strung a few phases together and came back into the game. And they responded really well at half-time and we got those three quick tries in succession.

“Unfortunately ill discipline cost us [with Mata’s yellow card] - we put ourselves under pressure and it was quite worrying when they scored their last try.”