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With the sunshine in the Scottish Capital, both teams will start to have one eye on their trip to the Welsh Capital for the final.
Lang (3', 24'), Bradbury (13'), Gilchrist (42')
Tries
Kriel (16', 76'), Penalty Try (46'), Hanekom (49')
Thompson (4', 13', 25', 43')
Conversions
Johannes (17'), Goosen (50', 76')
Thompson (37', 59')
Penalties
With the sunshine in the Scottish Capital, both teams will start to have one eye on their trip to the Welsh Capital for the final.
Knockout rugby offers a whole different concept to the tournament when the focus of bonus points in the league now focuses on the main focus of just scoring more than the opposition.
Early territory kicking was the flavour of the day, and an early charge down nearly saw an Edinburgh opportunity. The subsequent Goal line drop out was kicked perfectly for a Edinburgh return to find space in the line, and perfect passing gave James Lang space to glide through near the sticks. Easy conversion Ross Thompson took the score to 7 - 0 to the home side.
Edinburgh were starting to find space for the backs to get the perfect lines. But the Bulls defence did enough to stop what looked likely to be another try. Zak Burger slapped the ball away in the turnover attempt, when James Lang went for the offload on the deck. Receiving a Yellow for his great covering tackle attempt.
Driving maul from the Edinburgh penalty starts to build the platform for another try opportunity. Some messy hands close to the line, nearly ends in a knock on. Ben Vellacott sold four players the dummy and grounded the ball millimetres short of the line but most of the Edinburgh players thought he had scored. Now with the player advantage, how long will it be before Edinburgh add to the score board?
Bulls manage to draw the scrum penalty on the 5m to give them time to reset for the next Edinburgh phase. Number of phases from Edinburgh were met with similar physicality from the Bulls. Until Vellacott opted for the cheeky nudge over the top to draw a throw in inside the Bulls 22, which nearly ended in a Edinburgh line out if the Bulls defender hadn’t already had his toes in touch. Edinburgh steal the lineout and go through the phases again. Brought back for a penalty with a 5m tap and go, Magnus Bradbury manages to force himself over after a deft offload to him. Another easy conversion for Ross Thompson takes the score to 14 - 0.
The Bulls manage to get messy in the middle of the park but the chaos causes space for Harold Vorster to run through unchallenged then the offload for David Kriel. Kriel still had work to do, and used a go go gadget arm to ground the ball from what looked like 2 metres out. Easy conversion for Johannes takes the score to 14 -7.
Another poor clearance from the Bulls after kick off, found them marched back. The Edinburgh lineout created space through an charging Ewan Ashman. Ben Vellacott nearly executed a perfect nudge over the top but the bounce doesn’t fall his way. Bulls exit and Vellacott gets a stud down the back of his heel and a bit of treatment needed.
The Bulls had another kick escape attempt charged down and nearly allowed Javan Sebastian to gallop into space. But the Prop couldn’t turn on the after burners and show his true pace.
Edinburgh manage to keep the attacking phases going and nearly score out wide but lose the footing at the wrong time. However, James Lang looks for a grubber through a gap in the Bulls defence. The grubber bounces back off a Bulls foot into Lang’s hands, who spins through a tackle and trots in under the post. Conversion slotted and its 21 - 7.
Both teams have been extremely physical in defence and attack giving a great show for the fans in the Edinburgh sunshine.
The Bulls looked like they were going to grind the Edinburgh defence down on the 5 m line but the ball spills loose for the Edinburgh defenders to retrieve. The clearance is made, lineout executed and Edinburgh manage to clear with a huge kick to the Bulls 10 metre line.
A strong Jamie Ritchie turnover on halfway gives Edinburgh the ball back and a further phase of kick tennis ensued. Edinburgh can’t retain the advantage after a wayward lineout gives the Bulls a scrum on halfway. Further scrum dominance from the Bulls give them the scrum penalty.
The Bulls sustained phase of scrappy play keeps giving the advantage back to Edinburgh. The Bulls are really struggling to get a foothold in this game so far. 4 minutes of the half and Edinburgh have a lineout in the Bulls 22.
The subsequent driving maul turned into Javan Sebastian peeling away but stopped on the 5 metre line. Edinburgh had a penalty from the lineout and lucky for them they did. They couldn’t execute from the line out maul but Ross Thompson obliged with the penalty kick. 24 - 7.
The lineouts have been extremely messy today on both sides, another wayward Edinburgh lineout gives the Bulls a scrum inside the Edinburgh half. Bulls piling on the pressure at scrum time but can’t make the pressure pay when it gets into the loose. The half ends with another Bulls handling error with Johannes knocking on.
Edinburgh will be loving the first half apart from their lineouts, the Bulls need to find something in the changing room that will get their foothold in this game!
A huge half of Rugby ahead for Edinburgh & the Bulls!
Ali Price is on at 9 for Edinburgh for this half & the Bulls bring on Johan Goosen to replace Johannes at 10.
TMO involved very early in the second half, with a direct contact to the head from Jannes Kirsten. Kirsten gets 10 minutes in the bin, and he may have injured his team mate Sergeal Petersen in the same contact.
The Bulls have a mountain to climb now.
Ewan Ashman manages to gallop into space after the line out, great Bulls defence manages to stop a number of Edinburgh attempts. But Grant Gilchrist finds space at the side of the breakdown and forces himself over the line from 5 metres out. A difficult conversion is made to look easy by Ross Thompson. Its now 31 - 7, surely the Edinburgh side have one foot in the Semi Finals?
The Bulls manage to get themselves onto the Edinburgh 5 metre line with a line out, the lineout maul looks like it was destined over the line. One stop on the way sees another wheel round and Akker Van Der Merwe at the back of the maul looks to have been held up after an offside entry from Ross McCann. McCann gets the yellow card and a penalty try awarded.
Its now 31 - 14 and both teams down to 14 in the 46th minute. Will Edinburgh regather and regain the control they had of the game?
The Bulls go to boot and get themselves a scrum inside the Edinburgh 22 after a knock on will retrieving the ball over the top. The Bulls lock in the scrum and Stravino Jacobs bounces Darcy Graham but gets stopped close to the line. Burger finds Cameron Hanekom unmarked next to the points and walks in the try. Conversion in front of the posts makes it 31 - 21. Game ON!
Bulls are on top and causing Edinburgh to create errors which they looked to be so comfortable in the first half. Bulls find space from Goosen kicking over the top again. Canan Moodie looks like he was through. The Edinburgh defence gets dogged and they manage to win the turnover on their 5 metre line to stop the Bulls charge.
The clearance is good but Moodie nearly finds space out of nothing down the wing but gets put into touch. Edinburgh are trying to slow the game down now when they get the chance. But the Bulls want to play fast flowing rugby and it’s asking questions of Edinburgh. The ball is going aerial a lot in this half.
The Bulls get it out wide again and Edinburgh are forced to take it out on their 5 metre line. But during the chaos of play, the TMO steps back in to review a head contact from Jannes Kirsten again but on Pierre Schoeman this time. Schoeman dips into contact but Kirsten is too upright but the Match Official only gives a penalty this time. Kirsten has the luck with him today, he should have had a Red for the first offence and then gets away without a yellow on the second.
Edinburgh get chance to exit, win another penalty in the Bulls half. Ross McCann returns just as Edinburgh put themselves in the Bulls 22 with a lineout. The lineout is scrappy again but they retain the ball and go through the phases. Another Edinburgh penalty awarded after a late tackle. Edinburgh opt to put points on the board but the wind is starting to circle. But that’s no issue for Thompsons boot today! 34 - 21 after 60 minutes.
After a sustained phase of dogged breakdown on the halfway line, 6 players are left strewn across the pitch but the phase ends with a forward pass from Canan Moodie. Edinburgh manage to keep their foothold in the game now with a scrum on far side.
The Bulls win the scrum penalty and get the chance to put themselves in the Edinburgh 22. Another wonky lineout ends with Edinburgh getting another scrum to regain possession. Edinburgh get revenge and win the penalty this time after a early push. Edinburgh clear close to the Bulls half.
Cries of Edinburgh ring through the air when they manage to win another scrum after holding a Bulls maul up. But the air is soon full of Bulls chants after Edinburgh lose yet another scrum to a penalty.
Yet another horrendous lineout hands back advantage to Edinburgh after a blocking call is awarded by the ref in the lineout maul attempt. But don’t worry another error from the exit wasn’t far behind when Schoeman knocks on to hand the Bulls a scrum in Edinburgh space. The scrum penalty is called but the Bulls couldn’t execute on their attack phases. They opt to kick for a lineout, lets see if they get this executed.
The LIneout is perfect but the Marco Van Staden wheels away alone but a strong Dave Cherry holds him up. Another early Maul called but the Official sees Edinburgh secure the pill. But they will have to go to work in the scrum again in their own 22. This time Edinburgh secure the scrum and go to work on counting the clock down. 8 minutes to lock out the Bulls.
The Bulls are not going down with out a fight, they are sending all of their big runners out to try and break down the Edinburgh line. Stravino Jacobs is cleared into touch at the end of the phase, Edinburgh hold strong but their lineout fails them again. its another Bulls scrum in the Edinburgh 22.
The Bulls get over the line, when its held up but the penalty advantage for offside brings the Bulls back to the 5 metre line. The Bulls go wave after wave of attack and David Kriel sneaks over from close quarters and Goosen makes the conversion. Its now 34 - 28 with 3 minutes to play!
What a second half of rugby this has been!
The Bulls have the full length of the pitch to go and score, they manage to force Edinburgh back to their own 22. Ali Price clears back to the half way line. 50 metres separates both teams from a Semi Final spot now.
The Lineout from the Bulls is good, and the lineout maul takes them forwards to the Edinburgh 22. The ball is brought back for the penalty advantage but the kick doesn’t even put the Bulls in the Edinburgh 22. The Lineout is spot on, the maul moves forward but the Bulls have to opt to go on the attack in the loose. Phase after Phase goes forward. Edinburgh can’ t afford to make an error here. Then Schoeman appears over the breakdown! The turnover is good and the former Bulls player breaks Bulls hearts!
Game over! What a spectacle of challenge cup rugby in the Scottish Capital!
