Grant Gilchrist explains what Edinburgh need to do to beat Glasgow Warriors and win the 1872 Cup

Grant Gilchrist was relatively pleased with most aspects of Edinburgh’s performance against Glasgow last week, but believes that if his team are to turn a narrow defeat into victory in tomorrow night’s return match, they will have to be far more clinical.

Edinburgh's Grant Gilchrist in action during the defeat to Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium last Friday. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

After a disappointing opening 40 minutes which ended with them 10-0 behind, Edinburgh played far better after the break at Scotstoun last Friday, eventually earning a losing bonus point in a 16-10 defeat in a fixture which doubled up as a URC game and the first leg of this season’s 1872 Cup. It was pretty much as close as any team has come in the league this year to beating the Warriors on their own ground - a fact which is a source of both frustration and encouragement for Gilchrist, the capital club’s co-captain.

Frustration, because he is convinced his team had it in them to go a step further and actually win the match. And encouragement, because he believes that it shows his team are capable of getting the better of their opponents at BT Murrayfield, provided they make the most of their scoring opportunities.

“We put a lot into the game, but we felt we just weren’t accurate enough to take the chances that we created,” the lock forward said. “I can’t really fault the effort of the boys: I thought going to Scotstoun we gave ourselves the opportunity to win, which not a lot of teams do. They’re a good side.

“And it’s fine margins. We’re talking about moments when we just weren’t accurate enough or switched on enough, and that’s the difference between winning and losing.

“When we were 15 metres out and we knocked the ball on from a lineout, we were five metres out and we knocked the ball on . . . We were creating some good opportunities to score and in that weather” - it rained for much of the match - “the hard work is getting yourself into that position. But we have to be more accurate.

“To get access to a derby you have to bring the attitude on the physical side of the game. Then if both teams do that, it’s about accuracy and execution.

“Every derby game the attitude and mindset has to be there, otherwise you won’t be in with a chance of winning. But if both teams bring that, it’s then about who can be more accurate. We weren’t more accurate than Glasgow last week, so we have to be better this week.

“We also understand that we have to do the things we did well last week again - and even better. Because the nature of back-to-back games is the opposition identify the things you do well in the first game and come after them in the second. So I expect it to be a harder game than the week before - it always is.”

With just that six-point deficit to overcome, Edinburgh have a realistic chance of winning the 1872 Cup. Above all, however, they could do with the league points, having dropped down to 10th place in the 16-team table as a result of last week’s loss.

“We need to win,” Gilchrist added. “We’d love to win the Cup, of course we would, but we have to win the game. We have to win the game, and that’s our mindset.”