Edinburgh Rugby must emerge from sad mess – but Glasgow Warriors have issues to solve too
There were lots of tries in the eight URC matches last weekend. Thirteen of them came in the Cardiff-Glasgow watch, five for Cardiff, eight for the Warriors. It was certainly entertaining and great fun for any uncommitted neutral who happened to be watching.
For those of us brought-up to believe that “defence wins matches”, it was a bit mystifying. Admittedly when you looked at the statistics, you might say that Glasgow did indeed win because their defence was better, or at least less porous, than Cardiff’s. They made 170 tackles, Cardiff only 110.
But of course they were required to make so many tackles because for much of the match Cardiff were on top. They made more carries – 160 to 106. Cardiff had 56 per cent possession, 65 per cent of territory and the more efficient scrum and the better lineout. How their players, management and fans must have asked – “did we contrive to lose?”
Well, of course some of their defence was shocking. Some of Glasgow’s was pretty poor too, but not half as bad. Jamie Dobie fastened on a loose ball to canter unopposed over the line. Tom Jordan scored a nice interception try – but he took the ball 50 yards out and where was the cover defence? Both these tries were well-taken, a reward for skill and quick-thinking, but the Cardiff coach must have been tearing his hair out.
For much of the match Cardiff – as the statistics indicate – had the better of it. Some of their back-play, especially in the first half, was a delight to watch. I found myself thinking that they were playing with the skill and adventure one used to expect from Welsh teams and has rarely seen in recent years. For a moment I almost imagined I was back 50 years at Old Deer Park in London and watching the great and well-nigh perfect rugby played by the London Welsh side captained by the Lions skipper John Dawes. But on Friday the imaginative Cardiff attach was nullified by their feeble defence.
Glasgow deserved their win because they made chances and took them. Yet their defence was no better than Cardiff’s and one shuddered to think what sort of damage Leinster or any South African side would have done them.
It’s early days of course, but you can’t afford to fall too far behind in the URC, and, having already lost to Ulster – in a match they should have won, Glasgow last Friday had moments when they looked in danger of such another defeat. It’s annoying because we know that they are capable of beating any team in the league.
That sadly is not something one can say about Edinburgh. Quite the reverse indeed. Who on their present form might not approach an Edinburgh match with high hopes and indeed confidence. Go through the Edinburgh team man for man and it is difficult to see why they should be in such a bad way.
There is no shortage of talent and experience there. They have strength in the scrum, with two-thirds of the Scotland front row and a back row of Jamie Ritchie, Magnus Bradbury and Hamish Watson that almost any clubs would be happy to have.