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Edinburgh edge Zebre in URC thriller

rugby07 January 2023 17:23| © SuperSport
By:Ross Roche
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Edinburgh clinched a thrilling last-gasp 24-17 (halftime 10-0) bonus-point win over Zebre Parma in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at the DAM Health Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday afternoon.

Zebre had threatened to steal their first away win in almost two years when they took the lead for the first time in the game in the 67th minute, but the hosts then powered back with two converted tries in the final 10 minutes, as the winning score came with just a minute left.

Edinburgh opened the scoring in the 17th minute as they set up a lineout deep in the Zebre’s 22m, got the maul rolling and when was it stopped short, popped the ball to scrumhalf Charlie Shiel to dive over in the corner for an unconverted try.

Six minutes later the hosts were in with their second, as they attacked from a Zebre clearance, putting the ball through the hands down the line, which ended with right wing Jack Blain in at the corner untouched, followed by left wing Blair Kinghorn missing his second conversion attempt leaving the score 10-0.

Zebre were reduced to 14 men in the 32nd minute when wing Simone Gesi was yellow carded for a deliberate knockdown, but Edinburgh couldn’t take advantage of the extra man and even had to defend their line at the end of the half to make sure they went into the break with a 10 point lead.

The second half saw the visitors pick up where they left off with good play in the home side's half, which led to their first try in the 42nd minute.

A massive Zebre scrum in Edinburgh’s 22m saw them power towards the line, with the ball then slung out wide from scrumhalf Alessandro Fusco to Gesi, who had just returned to the field, with him in at the corner for an unconverted score.

Eight minutes later the scores were level, as from a maul just outside the Zebre 22m, Fusco took the ball and sniped down the blind side, drawing the last defender and putting Gesi away for his second, with flyhalf Tiff Eden again pulling the conversion attempt wide to leave the sides locked at 10-all.

It was Zebre that then broke the deadlock in the 67th minute, as on attack just outside the Edinburgh 22m, the ball got to Eden who threw a dummy and brushed off a tackle, then stepped past the final defender and went over under the posts for a converted score and 17-10 lead.

This seemed to shocked Edinburgh into action and they immediately responded by kicking a penalty onto the Zebre 5m, setting up the maul and powering over, with flank Connor Boyle dotting down, and Kinghorn’s extras drawing the scores level with 10 minutes remaining.

With time ticking down and Edinburgh desperately hunting the win with a string of attacks in the Zebre 22m, they finally managed to break through with replacement hooker Patrick Harrison the hero as he powered through a few tackle attempts to force his way over for the winning score.

Scorers

Edinburgh: Tries - Charlie Shiel, Jack Blain, Connor Boyle, Patrick Harrison; Conversions - Blair Kinghorn (2)


Zebre: Tries - Simone Gesi (2), Tiff Eden; Conversion - Eden

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