Rugby: Edinburgh U18 15-5 Glasgow U18

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.”

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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).