mens
United-rugby-championship
Edinburgh’s perfect start to the URC has come crashing down Benetton turned form on its head with a 31-12 victory.
The Scots have won four from four as their opponents begin the afternoon’s task without a win in 15th place.
But the tone was set in the second minute when Piero Gritti scored to put the Italians in front, but their momentum was halted by Matias Medrano’s tackle on Grant Gilchrist which earned him a red card on 20 minutes.
Ignacio Mendy moved to second despite the numerical disadvantage and Edinburgh went down to 14 men when Callum Hunter-Hill earned a yellow. Bautista Bernasconi soon had three tries, all without conversion, before Jacob Umaga’s penalty made it 18-0 at the break.
A penalty on the stroke of half-time extended the lead by another three points, and by the time Onisi Ratave broke through, the deficit was too much for Edinburgh to overcome.
Second-half scores from Harry Morris and Harry Patterson gave the result respectability, but a late penalty ensured the hosts had the final say.
Meanwhile, the Bulls ran for eight tries to secure a comfortable 54-26 win Scarlets at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Dylan Maart and Marcell Coetzee scored for the hosts, with Curwin Bosch contributing all seven conversions.
Jeandre Rudolph scored for the hosts in the 11th minute, before Willie le Roux crossed the line seven minutes later and Maart added his first after 27 minutes.
The Scarlets hit back to get their first points on the board with a try from John McKee in the 30th minute, while another from Sam Lousi reduced the deficit at half time.
Coetzee extended the lead after the break but tries from Archie Hughes and Joe Roberts gave the visitors a fighting chance, with Carwyn Leggatt-Jones adding two more conversions.
The Bulls then ran away with the contest after Coetzee’s second try from Sebastian de Klerk and Johan Grobbelaar before Maart completed the win.
