Edinburgh‘s social media team were straight back into the swing of things yesterday morning as they looked to crank up ticket sales ahead of this weekend’s 1872 Cup second leg at Murrayfield.
‘Ready to bounce back’ was the battle cry after Sunday’s 33-14 loss to Glasgow at Hampden, a scoreline that would have looked a lot worse had Boan Venter not rumbled over for two late tries.
The truth is, that kind of Tweet – or whatever we’re calling posts on X nowadays – has been made plenty of times on Mondays over the past 12 months as Sean Everitt’s side continue to flatter to deceive. One false dawn has followed another.
They have been particularly pitiful on their travels.
The journey along the M8 to Hampden was their final road trip in a year that opened promisingly with away wins at Scarlets, Zebre and Cardiff and a decent performance in a narrow quarter-final loss to the Sharks in the Challenge Cup.
Then the wheels came off in remarkable fashion in the final match of the season away to Benetton. Edinburgh simply haven’t recovered.
Beaten by the Bulls, humiliated by the Lions – shipping 48 first-half points – then defeated by Ospreys, Gloucester and now Glasgow.
Sean Everitt’s Edinburgh team are finding it so difficult to win on the road
Jamie Dobie makes a break for Glasgow as Edinburgh’s players are left trailing
Alex Samuel takes no prisoners as Glasgow dominate their derby rivals at Hampden
Their last victory away from Hive Stadium was that success over Cardiff in April.
Given the strength of their squad on paper, those repeat failings suggest a lack of mental strength to cope with unaccustomed surroundings, poor coaching, or a combination of both.
Even with travel and logistical difficulties largely removed from the equation this time around, Edinburgh still looked timid and unsure of themselves at Hampden – a scenario that also saw Glasgow’s players removed from their Scotstoun comfort zone.
Everitt later described the atmosphere as ‘very hostile’. Given there were times when you could have heard a pin drop, heaven help him if he ever takes in an Old Firm match.
These derbies are often described as a trial for the Six Nations and, on Sunday’s evidence, you couldn’t make a convincing case for anyone in Edinburgh colours starting over their Glasgow counterparts in the next Scotland international.
Duhan van der Merwe and Darcy Graham barely saw the ball, Mosese Tuipulotu was completely overshadowed by big brother Sione, while none of the forwards – bar replacement prop Venter – made any kind of lasting impression.
Everitt didn’t deny there was some sort of psychological barrier preventing his side from winning away from home, but admitted the record will need to improve soon or it will be another fruitless campaign for the capital club.
Asked if there was a mental block affecting his players on their travels, he replied: ‘I suppose yes and no. It’s not that the team didn’t want to win, being away from home. It’s not as though they take it as an excuse either. But for us to challenge in the top four of the URC, or top eight, or for the EPCR, for that matter, we need to win away from home.’
Edinburgh have at least largely excelled at home this season, winning their last four matches and putting 50 points on both Benetton and Bayonne, making it bafflingly frustrating they can’t replicate even a fraction of that on the road.
They won’t have the comforts of their bijou Hive Stadium this weekend, with the match taking place at Murrayfield, but a win is imperative for so many reasons.
Even if the 19-point gap proves insurmountable for Edinburgh to lift the trophy on aggregate, there are four or five URC points up for grabs, vital for a side now sitting outside of the playoff berths.
Everitt takes a look around Hampden ahead of the 1872 Cup clash
Edinburgh’s players try to halt Ally Miller during Glasgow’s first leg victory
Boan Venter scores one of the late tries that gave Edinburgh some hope for return match
Everitt could do with a victory to help safeguard his own position, too.
Social media is rarely the sort of place to look for reasoned comment – especially when a team have been trailing 33-0 in a derby – but the swathe of Edinburgh fans already calling for him to be replaced will only grow the longer the team continues to bounce around from the highs of comfortable home wins to the crushing lows of repeat away drubbings.
One fan even wondered hypothetically what would happen were Franco Smith to be installed as Edinburgh head coach in place of his compatriot.
Given the wonders Smith has worked at Scotstoun, there is a very decent chance it would lead to a sizeable improvement.
Edinburgh rounded off 2023 by defeating Glasgow in the return leg a year ago and desperately need to do likewise this weekend. Venter’s late tries at least give them some hope on that front.
‘Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure on now but that’s the beauty of the game,’ said the South African loosehead. ‘This season has proven we’re a different animal at home and that’s where some of the frustration comes in. We’d like to become that well-rounded team that can play well and win well away from home, too. I’ve no doubt we’ll come out swinging next weekend.’
Around 35,000 Edinburgh fans will let them know if they don’t.
