Edinburgh Rugby identify their serious flaw - but fixing it easier said than done

Edinburgh Rugby flanker Jamie Ritchie. | SNS Group

Priority number one for Edinburgh for the second leg of the 1872 Cup is to fix their discipline issues but Jamie Ritchie has admitted it is easier said than done.

The capital club had two players yellow-carded and conceded 10 penalties in the first half alone at Hampden on Sunday as Glasgow Warriors ran out comfortable 33-14 winners.

The return match takes place at Murrayfield this Saturday and Ritchie acknowledged that there were “a few wrongs to right”.

“I think we put ourselves in a bit of trouble with our discipline in the first half,” said the Scotland forward. “We know how good Glasgow are when they get down into the 22 with their driving maul and the way they like to play.”

Edinburgh found themselves under the pump as the game unfolded and the penalties started adding up and it became even harder when they had to play with 14 men as first Pierre Schoeman and then Marshall Sykes were sent to the sin-bin.

Edinburgh Rugby flanker Jamie Ritchie. | SNS Group

“It's a really hard thing to get right,” Ritchie added. “Obviously in the game you need to trust the system, in defence, that's probably one thing that's an easy way to talk about it. Don't look for things that aren't there. Decision-making is another.

“It's also discipline in the game plan and sticking to what we've said we're going to do, which I thought improved throughout the game.”

Edinburgh managed to come more into the match in the second half and scored two late tries but by then the game had long ceased to be a meaningful contest, such was Glasgow’s lead. Ritchie knows they need to improve in several areas this weekend.

“I think that discipline is probably one of them,” he said. “If we can get that bit better, limit Glasgow's entries into our 22 and five metres out, then when we get opportunities, making sure that we're on it and taking them.”

Edinburgh bounced back from a first leg defeat in the 1872 Cup last season to win the return leg and Ritchie believes the way they finished the game at Hampden gives them optimism going into Saturday’s game. Boan Venter’s two late tries put a more generous slant on the scoreline than perhaps Edinburgh deserved but they did pose more of a threat in the final quarter.

Edinburgh showed a lack of discipline against Warriors at Hampden. | SNS Group

“Yes, I think we can take confidence from that, certainly, that we know that we've got it in us to play on top,” said Ritchie. “I think that's what we did well, certainly in the last 15-20 minutes. For us, it's just about doing that from the start, from the first whistle, rather than waiting until the game's probably gone and then having to turn it on then.”

Given that the 1872 Cup is decided on aggregate over the two games, it looks like a daunting task for Edinburgh to overturn the 19-point deficit and the priority will be to win the match and gain some valuable URC points after they fell out of the top eight last weekend.

“Obviously, we'd love to win the 1872, but I think primarily for us next week is probably about league points and getting that win,” said Ritchie. “That would be the first goal and then hopefully after that you can look to get your hands on the gravy boat.”