Italian new boys, Aironi Rugby, made the long trip to Murrayfield for their Magners League fixture with Edinburgh, a match that they were given little chance of winning, it has to be said.
Edinburgh opened the scoring with a converted try after three minutes from Fraser McKenzie, Greg Laidlaw knocking over the resultant kick. Edinburgh then proceeded to dominate the next ten minutes or so and were awarded with a penalty, again scored by Laidlaw. Aironi weren’t for lying down and their next attack saw Laidlaw yellow-carded for a deliberate infringement in the 22 and Aironi scoring with the penalty.
A few minutes later a player from each side was yellow carded after a bit of a line-out ‘disagreement’. Again Edinburgh went on the attack and Mike Blair dodged and feinted through some weak defending to spot the second try for the home team, followed up a few minutes later by the third, from Tim Visser, this score making the ‘Flying Dutchman’ the try scoring Record Holder in the Magners League with 13 in the one season – and there are still two games to go!
Just on the interval, Aironi showed that they weren’t ready to roll over just yet, and a bit of excellent passing play put South African, Danwel Demas, over the line for Aironi’s opening try.
Half time score 24-8 to Edinburgh.
The second half was a bit more closely matched with Edinburgh on the back foot for a period of time, with Demas almost scoring another try in the corner for the visitors.
It took Chris Paterson to stretch the Edinburgh side away with a bonus point try and a ‘nearly’, the Edinburgh man just puting a knee into touch (pictured). Some good forward work from Aironi late on saw them score another try, converted this time to leave the final score Edinburgh 32, Aironi 15
Photo and report – John Preece
Website – www.jlp-photography.co.uk/
