Match Preview | Edinburgh

Match Preview | Edinburgh

  • 19 May 2022

Fixtures do not come much bigger than this.

Level on points in the United Rugby Championship standings. The Scottish-Italian Shield up for grabs. Heineken Champions Cup qualification on the line.

Oh, and the small matter of the 1872 Cup to compete for.

Winner-takes-all arguably undersells the magnitude of this weekend’s Round 18 clash at BT Murrayfield, as Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh go head-to-head for what promises to be a full-blooded encounter at the home of Scottish rugby.

Here’s how the two teams are shaping up ahead of the latest instalment of rugby’s oldest club derby.

Previous Encounter

The Warriors travel eastwards in control of the aggregate score ahead of Saturday night’s decider, having earned a 30-17 victory at Scotstoun back in March.

A first-half brace from Thomas Gordon set Danny Wilson’s side on their way in front of a sold-out Scotstoun, the second the culmination of a free-flowing counter-attack in front of the West Stand.

Josh McKay’s scintillating score after Sebastian Cancelliere’s break put the match to bed, as the Warrior Nation celebrated a confident win over their cross-country rivals.

Ones to watch

A former Scotland U20 captain, openside flanker Connor Boyle has enjoyed a breakout campaign in the blue and orange of Edinburgh this season. His tally of 10 turnovers in the URC this season is bettered only by Magnus Bradbury amongst Edinburgh players, whilst also providing a useful link in open field.

He’s been the man that’s made Edinburgh tick throughout the season so far, and Blair Kinghorn’s transition to fly-half has at times sparked some impressive rugby from the capital side. As capable of breaking through a gap himself as he is of playing the territorial game, the Scotland international has amassed five tries and 52 points for his club in his 11 starts in 2021/22.

Having developed into a top-class professional at Scotstoun, Mark Bennett is already a well-kent face to the Warrior Nation. The 29-year-old has been in superb form across the 2021/22 campaign and ranks inside the top-20 league-wide for both tries and clean breaks, and this week agreed a new contract to keep him in Edinburgh for the foreseeable future.


Memorable Moment

Supporters in the BT Murrayfield stands back in January 2010 would have seen a moment of club history when Glasgow Warriors put Edinburgh to the sword – they just wouldn’t have realised it yet.

A 22-15 victory over the men from the east was marked by the first of DTH van der Merwe’s club-record 54 tries in Glasgow colours, the Canadian touching down after a deft grubber in behind by Dan Parks.

Parks himself would chip in with 12 points from the boot, with club legend Bernardo Stortoni also crossing the whitewash in a victory that would secure the 1872 Cup for the Warriors that season.

Match Officials

The experienced figure of Andrew Brace will be the man in the middle at BT Murrayfield on Saturday evening, as the Irishman takes charge of his 78th league fixture.

Ian Kenny and Graeme Ormiston are on duty as the assistant referees, with Andrew McMenemy completing the team as the Television Match Official.

Broadcast Details

Premier Sports 1 will have full coverage of the 1872 Cup decider, with kick-off scheduled for 6.30pm in Edinburgh.

You can also follow all the action as it happens in our Live Match Centre at glasgowwarriors.org – head over from an hour before kick-off for all the updates.

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