At half-time a week ago, Edinburgh had conceded 21 points, had given away 10 penalties and had been shown two yellow cards. This time, at the break, they’d conceded zero, had only shipped four penalties to Glasgow’s seven and had no cards.
They also had the lead. Only 3-0, but better than nothing. It should have been more. Early on, before he had to go off injured, Jamie Ritchie broke Glasgow’s defensive line and galloped downfield but Edinburgh couldn’t take advantage.
Thompson’s 50-22 was the catalyst for the penalty that followed and Edinburgh had the lead. And the momentum. When Glasgow threatened, Edinburgh halted their lineout maul. When they came again, Matt Currie stripped them of ball.
It wasn’t a classic, but Edinburgh’s physicality was streets ahead of where it was in Glasgow. A three-point advantage ought to have grown just after the half hour.
They went through phase upon phase inside Glasgow’s 22. Mosese Tuipulotu might have gone wide to Duhan van der Merwe but he failed to make the pass.
Edinburgh kept going, working it to the posts where Luke Crosbie reached for glory only to have the moment spoiled by Gregor Hiddleston’s tackle knocking it out of his hands. A painful moment for the hosts.
Franco Smith brought on a couple of his go-to men early in the second half, Rory Darge and George Horne appearing in a bid to quicken the tempo. Glasgow started to batter on the Edinburgh door from then on. They had a tap penalty from close range but got repelled, they piled on more pressure but the home team lifted the siege with a penalty won on the floor.
Still 3-0, still scrappy, but a hell of a battle none the less. With 15 minutes to go, and Edinburgh’s penalty count rocketing, Glasgow finally broke them. It took a while.
One, two, three penalties were given away as the hosts hung on in their own 22. They got an official warning. Another Glasgow lineout maul was launched and again the only way Edinburgh could stop it was by illegally collapsing
Penalty try and yellow card for Harrison. Glasgow led 7-3. The turning point, or so we thought. Edinburgh went straight down the other end with a vengeance, Schoeman, of all people, starting the decisive move with a little grubber, which was regathered.
Gilchrist took it on and the rest was all Schoeman, the prop muscling his way over to put Edinburgh ahead again. Healy added a brilliant conversion. The 14-men had done it against all odds. A shock victory for defence and defiance.
