Rugby Urc, Gesi deludes the Zebras, Edinburgh wins 29-26

There is no doubt that the season is now to be archived as negative, but these Zebras must be recognized as having the will to close it in crescendo. Victory continues to be lacking, but after coming close to their first win of the season two weeks ago in Newcastle in the Challenge Cup (defeat 25-22 at the last minute), also in Edinburgh – against a team aiming for the United Rugby Championship playoffs – is arrived a performance with several positive points despite the knockout 29-26 (4 tries per side) which is worth two bonus points in the standings.

The match

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Of course, ahead 14-19 thanks to the jewel signed by Simone Gesi for his first goal in Urc and with an extra man for the red card against Sykes (guilty of a dangerous cleaning against Fischetti), the big target seemed to be close at hand. But that’s also part of the team building (or rebuilding) process. Which can certainly start from the orderly fray and some individualities. Simone Gesi, for example, even if the Livorno winger is still a permit player under contract with Colorno: his is the final starting point for the technical goal of the momentary 7-7 (complete with a yellow card to Young for the high tackle), his personal action started from the halfway line to escape Hamish Watson, seat three other opponents with quick changes of direction and go to crush in the middle of the posts for the illusory 15-19. Another good protagonist of the game was Gabriele Venditti, the second-row giant who is finally showing all his qualities after a long series of injuries that have limited him in recent seasons: for proof, see the breakthrough and the offload with which sent Junior Laloifi to try in the first half.

False start

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On the other hand, there are still too many empty passes. The one on the first ball of the game forced the Zebras to a handicap start: kick-off not held, Edinburgh on 22, Kinghorn’s soccer hitting a completely open area and sending Bennett into the goal after 45 seconds of the match. How much this uphill start has weighed can be understood from the final result. If Edinburgh still had the merit of reacting angrily to the numerical inferiority with Schoeman’s goal, the fourth Scottish goal came on another gift from the franchise, with an oversized pass by rookie Cook which allowed Bennett to sign the brace. staff for 26-19. Finally in the last minutes of the second half also the Zebras managed to get back in the attack, and the efforts were rewarded by the goal of Sisi transformed by O’Malley. The draw lasted, however, just a turn of the hands. With experience Edinburgh was able to find in the final the free kick put in goal by Van der Walt to take the game home.