VIDEO: Why Stormers should fear this Edinburgh side
10/10/2024 08:42 AM
"That is what Edinburgh can do."
On the surface it may appear to be an insignificant and nebulous statement, but has a veiled warning to the Stormers.
Edinburgh coach Sean Everitt made it clear his team should not b e judged on last week's first-half horror show against the Lions at Ellis Park.
The unbeaten South African franchise raced out to a United Championship Record half-time lead - 48-0.
However, the second-half scoreline favoured the Scottish outfit 21-7.
Everitt, a former coach of the Durban-based Sharks, said that the abject first half at Ellis Park is not a true reflection of his team's ability and that the second half showed what Edinburgh is capable of.
His team plans to set the record straight when they host the Stormers in a URC Round Four encounter in the capital on Saturday.
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"[When] we stuck to the plan, we ticked all three boxes and ended up winning the second half 21-7," Everitt said of the Ellis Park blowout.
He added that there is no need to panic and despite the half-time scoreline, it doesn't mean everything [at Edinburgh] is broken.
"I would like to focus on what we can get right," he said, adding: "As a former school teacher I have to help people and fix problems.
"The players have accepted accountability for the performance."
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He said they will 'bounce back' against the Stormers.
"There's no need to panic," said Everitt, who batted away a question about his own position.
"We're in Round Four of the URC.
"It's been a tough start.
"It's a tough game coming up against the Stormers.
"We've played Leinster, we've played Bulls away, Lions away.
"Now we are at home against the Stormers, so we'll be confident that we can win at home.
"This competition is unforgiving.
"Munster found out last week against Zebre that whichever opposition you play on any given weekend, it's going to be a tough game.
"It's just the way the competition has grown and I think it's great for the comp that every week you're going to get a tough game.
"We can't let 40 minutes against the Lions put us into total doom.
"We've identified what we need to fix, and it's my job as a coach to fix it."
* Sources: @EdinburghRugby & The Scotsman
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