Edinburgh edge out Glasgow

Glasgow Warriors were edged out by cross-country rivals Edinburgh this afternoon, as the men from the capital claimed a 10-7 win in front of their home supporters in the second leg of the 1872 Cup.

The narrow margin means the trophy will remain in Glasgow hands for a third year in succession, the Warriors taking the tie 40-24 on aggregate after last week’s victory at Hampden Park.

With 40,000 in attendance at the home of Scottish rugby, the Warriors began the match hungry to build upon their first-leg advantage. An early carry from Kyle Steyn saw the captain burst through the tackle of Darcy Graham, whilst only a last-ditch tackle from Wes Goosen denied Ally Miller the opening score of the afternoon.

Faced with a 19-point deficit, the home side were keen to redress the balance, but were met with a resolute Glasgow defence at every turn inside the opening 10 minutes. Relentless pressure from Smith’s side saw the visitors hound their hosts phase after phase, eventually forcing the knock-on from Ali Price after 15 phases of possession.

An intensely-fought contest eventually saw its first points arrive with 22 minutes gone, as Ross Thompson slotted a penalty from the Glasgow 22 to give the capital outfit a 3-0 lead on the day. The fly-half then had the chance to repeat the feat 10 minutes later, only to push a long-range attempt wide from 45 metres out.

The home side were enjoying the majority of territory and possession as the half wore to a close, and thought that they had registered the opening try of the afternoon with two minutes left in the opening period. Gregor Hiddleston had other ideas, however, providing a crucial intervention to deny Luke Crosbie with the whitewash begging.

With defences on top in an encounter defined by its physicality, the Warriors began the second stanza continuing to show their resolve when faced with a wall of Edinburgh attackers. Time and again, the visitors held firm, Sione Tuipulotu and Matt Fagerson leading the defensive charge.

Tuipulotu then turned catalyst for Glasgow’s best attacking chance of the game to date, as the centre’s wide pass sent Kyle Rowe hurtling into space. The full-back’s chip ahead forced Price to carry over his own line, but the capital side then showed their own defensive grit to hold firm in the shadow of their own posts.

The game was on a knife-edge, as the Warriors went in search of a score to silence the majority of the Scottish Gas Murrayfield crowd. With the pressure ramping up inside the Edinburgh 22, and maul after maul collapsed within touching distance of the line, referee Eoghan Cross’s patience eventually ran out. A penalty try in the bank and with a yellow card shown to Patrick Harrison for good measure, the Warriors led 7-3 with 13 minutes to play.

Their lead was to last just 90 seconds, as the hosts struck for a score of their own. Turnover ball from the restart saw Edinburgh backs pour towards the line, before the short-range charge of Pierre Schoeman eventually broke the Glasgow defensive rearguard. Ben Healy added the extras, and the home side had their three-point lead on the night back within the final 10 minutes.

That was to prove the decisive moment in a tie decided by fine margins, despite one final attacking salvo from the visitors. Instead, it was Edinburgh who would scramble the ball into touch as the clock ticked past the 80-minute mark, giving them the victory but seeing the 1872 Cup remain in Glasgow hands for a third successive season.

A disappointing end to 2024 for the Warriors, but a year that will nonetheless go down in Glasgow rugby history – a week’s break sees Smith’s men bring in the New Year, before welcoming first-footers Racing 92 to Scotstoun as the Investec Champions Cup returns to centre stage.