Sean Everitt rues Edinburgh indiscipline and cites 8-1 stat as Sharks book semi-final spot

Penalty count costs Edinburgh dearly in South Africa

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - APRIL 06: Edinburgh Head Coach Sean Everitt pre-match during an EPCR Challenge Cup match between Edinburgh Rugby and Aviron Bayonnais at Scottish Gas Murrayfield, on April 06, 2024, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

Sean Everitt blamed Edinburgh’s high penalty count for their second-half “capitulation” in Durban as they lost 36-30 to the Sharks in the quarter-finals of the EPCR Challenge Cup.

A try from Pierre Schoeman and 11 points from the boot of Ben Healy had seen the visitors go in at the break 16-14 ahead. But Edinburgh lost the penalty count 8-1 in the second period as the Sharks took control to book a semi-final against Clermont Auvergne next month at Twickenham Stoop.

Hamish Watson and David Cherry notched late scores for Edinburgh to tie the try count at three apiece but it wasn’t enough to overcome the South African side whose points came from tries from Lukhanyo Am, James Venter and Bongi Mbonambi, three conversions and four penalties from Siya Masuku and a penalty from Curwin Bosch.

“At half-time we were obviously confident we could pull through and then our set-piece came under the pump and we gave away penalties there,” said Everitt. “I think the penalty count in the second half was 8-1 and that tells you a story.

“We didn’t get the territory we got in the first half. I thought we were clinical when we got into the opposition 22, scoring a try and kicking those penalties but unfortunately we let ourselves down in the second half.

“Edinburgh win rugby games when we give away 10 or less penalties and today we gave away 12. The trend continues. If we give away less than 10, we’ll win. In the first half we were on track - we only gave away four but then conceded eight in the second half and it didn’t allow us to put ourselves in a position to score points.”

It was Edinburgh’s second trip to South Africa in recent weeks but Everitt refused to use the travel as a factor, although he did concede that the Durban heat made it difficult.

“I’m gutted,” he added. “So much went into the preparation, the logistics and the travel - and the travel was made easy, so we have no excuses with regards to that. It’s about us staying focused for the entire 80.

“We were up against four Springboks in the tight five and I’ve never made excuses for that because we’ve got our own [internationals] as well. So to capitulate like that in the second half was extremely disappointing, especially after the confidence we took into the second half.”