Young team win Zebre opener
Matt Currie scored a try on his first Edinburgh Rugby start as Richard Cockerill's side claimed an opening Guinness PRO14 Rainbow Cup triumph courtesy of an improved second-half display against Zebre.
The Italians deservedly led at the break at BT Murrayfield but a youthful Edinburgh team secured a 24-18 victory after dominating the second half.
The impressive Eroni Sau notched the first try of the game for Edinburgh before Andrea Lovotti replied, and Carlo Canna's kicking had Zebre six points ahead at the break.
But the hosts scored tries from skipper Luke Crosbie and 20-year-old centre Currie as the home team pushed their opponents back for the bulk of the second half, before Johan Meyer bagged a last-gasp consolation try.
Cockerill named a squad with an average age of 24, with 19-year-old Ben Muncaster making his debut among a raft of young Scottish-qualified players.
Canna bagged an early penalty before Sau struck in the 12th minute following a fine team move. Mike Willemse broke off a maul following a line-out on the right and Edinburgh worked it out to the opposite flank where Blair Kinghorn fed Sau to go over in the corner.
Nathan Chamberlain, the 21-year-old stand-off, produced a brilliant conversion but Zebre responded magnificently.
Stand-off Canna kicked a penalty and was generally dictating play, while number eight Renato Giammarioli was making serious headway through the Edinburgh ranks.
The visitors got their first try in the 26th minute when Lovotti powered over from close range after a penalty kick into the corner. Canna put them 13-7 ahead.
Edinburgh were a changed side after the break and produced a controlled display with the penalty count going in their favour.
Sau was instrumental in Edinburgh's second try, bursting past six defenders after getting the ball from Crosbie following a line-out. Jamie Hodgson was just held up but Crosbie went over.
Kinghorn was stopped near the line and Sau came close again after a pass over the top from Chamberlain, but Pierre Bruno's tackle put him into touch near the corner.
Currie burst on to Chris Dean's close-range pass and over the line to extend the lead and could have had another try if Damien Hoyland had released him.
Chamberlain added a late penalty to his three conversions and the clock had gone past the 80-minute mark when Meyer finished off a slick breakaway to reduce the deficit.
Player of the Match
There were some impressive displays on both sides but Zebre faded after the break.
However, Crosbie produced a captain's performance to steer his side to success in their Rainbow Cup opener and was awarded the individual honour.
Play of the Match
Sau lived up to his 'Sledgehammer' nickname as he bludgeoned and swiped his way through six tackles after collecting the ball from Crosbie before the skipper ultimately went over.
live commentary 8:15 PM Friday 23 Apr 2021
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Edinburgh
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Chris Dean
23. Replacement7metres made
25MINUTES PLAYED
2TACKLES MADE
4COMPLETE PASSES
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Jack Blain
22. Replacement0metres made
10MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Roan Frostwick
21. Replacement0metres made
4MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Connor Boyle
20. Replacement6metres made
23MINUTES PLAYED
3TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Viliame Mata
19. Replacement15metres made
19MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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WP Nel
18. Replacement1metres made
29MINUTES PLAYED
2TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Pierre Schoeman
17. Replacement2metres made
29MINUTES PLAYED
2TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Patrick Harrison
16. Replacement4metres made
29MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Ben Muncaster
8. Number 818metres made
61MINUTES PLAYED
9TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Luke Crosbie
7. Back-row10metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
8TACKLES MADE
6COMPLETE PASSES
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Mesulame Kunavula
6. Back-row33metres made
57MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
5COMPLETE PASSES
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Jamie Hodgson
5. Second-row13metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
9TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Marshall Sykes
4. Second-row12metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
15TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Lee Roy Atalifo
3. Tighthead prop6metres made
51MINUTES PLAYED
6TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Michael Willemse
2. Hooker13metres made
51MINUTES PLAYED
8TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Boan Venter
1. Loosehead prop3metres made
51MINUTES PLAYED
3TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Charlie Shiel
9. Scrum-half0metres made
76MINUTES PLAYED
3TACKLES MADE
70COMPLETE PASSES
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Nathan Chamberlain
10. Stand-off2metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
8TACKLES MADE
18COMPLETE PASSES
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Eroni Sau
11. Wing61metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
5TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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George Taylor
12. Inside-centre14metres made
55MINUTES PLAYED
5TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Matthew Currie
13. Outside-centre30metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
6TACKLES MADE
4COMPLETE PASSES
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Damien Hoyland
14. Wing39metres made
70MINUTES PLAYED
3TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Blair Kinghorn
15. Full-back45metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
11COMPLETE PASSES
Zebre
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Michelangelo Biondelli
15. Full-back0metres made
64MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
5COMPLETE PASSES
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Pierre Bruno
14. Wing57metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
8TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Federico Mori
13. Outside-centre29metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
7TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Enrico Lucchin
12. Inside-centre22metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
7TACKLES MADE
8COMPLETE PASSES
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Gabriele Di Giulio
11. Wing29metres made
70MINUTES PLAYED
3TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Carlo Canna
10. Stand-off28metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
6TACKLES MADE
25COMPLETE PASSES
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Marcello Violi
9. Scrum-half0metres made
56MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
44COMPLETE PASSES
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Andrea Lovotti
1. Loosehead prop1metres made
54MINUTES PLAYED
6TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Massimo Ceciliani
2. Hooker0metres made
62MINUTES PLAYED
6TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Eduardo Bello
3. Tighthead prop2metres made
62MINUTES PLAYED
6TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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David Sisi
4. Second-row2metres made
70MINUTES PLAYED
11TACKLES MADE
7COMPLETE PASSES
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Ian Nagle
5. Second-row1metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
9TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Potu Leavasa
6. Back-row18metres made
59MINUTES PLAYED
7TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Johan Meyer
7. Back-row15metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
7TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Renato Giammarioli
8. Number 897metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
14TACKLES MADE
9COMPLETE PASSES
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Giampietro Ribaldi
16. Replacement1metres made
18MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Daniele Rimpelli
17. Replacement0metres made
26MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Alexandru Tarus
18. Replacement0metres made
18MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Leonard Krumov
19. Replacement3metres made
10MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Giovanni Licata
20. Replacement0metres made
21MINUTES PLAYED
3TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Nicolo Casilio
21. Replacement19metres made
24MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
15COMPLETE PASSES
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Antonio Rizzi
22. Replacement0metres made
16MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Jamie Elliott
23. Replacement0metres made
10MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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