A second-half fightback from the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday wasn’t sufficient as Edinburgh beat Jake White’s prices to e book their place within the final 4 of the EPCR Problem Cup.
Trailing 24-7 at half time, the Bulls scored three tries within the second 40 minutes however Edinburgh held on for an exciting 34-28 win at Hive Stadium, and can face Sunday’s winner between Johann van Graan’s Bathtub and fellow Premiership outfit Gloucester within the semi-finals on the weekend of 3-5 Might.
A transformed James Lang landing gave Edinburgh the right begin, and the hosts doubled their lead earlier than the shut of the primary quarter when No 8 Magnus Bradbury barged over from shut vary in opposition to a 14-man Bulls – scrumhalf Zak Burger earlier pinned and yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on on the breakdown.
The Bulls hit again swiftly, centres Harold Vorster and David Kriel combining for the latter to stretch over the whitewash. Flyhalf Keagan Johannes added the extras.
Nonetheless, No 10 Ross Thompson’s fourth conversion of the match restored the hosts’ 14-point benefit after Lang burst by means of to finish his brace of tries. Thompson then break up the uprights from the kicking tee to pile on the scoreboard strain for the guests earlier than the break.
Bulls flanker Jannes Kirsten was despatched to the naughty chair barely a minute after the restart for a excessive deal with on winger Ross McCann, and Edinburgh capitalised on their numerical benefit by means of skipper Grant Gilchrist’s rating within the nook.
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McCann quickly joined Kirsten within the sin bin for getting into a maul illegally, with referee Pierre Brousset awarding the Bulls a penalty attempt for his or her efforts.
Again-row powerhouse Cameron Hanekom then dotted down underneath the posts to assist slim the hole for the Herd, however a second Thompson penalty strike gave Edinburgh some respiratory room with 20 minutes left on the clock.
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Kriel emerged from a pile of our bodies within the endzone for his second attempt of the afternoon, and alternative Johan Goosen made it two from two on aim as the boys from the Republic threw every little thing on the dwelling aspect within the closing phases.
However ex-Bulls prop Pierre Schoeman’s breakdown steal on the loss of life ended his former crew’s European cup run.
White’s males have little time to lick their wounds, as they return to Vodacom URC motion subsequent Saturday in opposition to Munster in Limerick, earlier than ending a four-week tour in opposition to defending champions Glasgow Warriors (25 April).
Photograph: Euan Cherry/Getty Photographs
