Edinburgh edge Stormers as teenage debutant McHaffie strikes late
Edinburgh held off the Stormers to win 17-13 at Hive Stadium on Friday night and make it two wins from two to start the United Rugby Championship season, according to BBC Sport.
The winner came from 19-year-old substitute Rory McHaffie on his home debut. He gathered a pass off the ground from James Grayson and beat the cover to settle a tight Round 2 contest.
It followed a bonus-point win away to Ulster in Round 1. This was Edinburgh's first home game of the new league season.
Grayson opened the scoring with a long-range penalty. Edinburgh then made life difficult for the Stormers' lineout — the throw-in used to restart play after the ball goes out — with flanker Liam McConnell stealing three throws in the first half alone.
Magnus Bradbury thought he had scored just before half-time. The try was ruled out for a double movement, when a tackled player makes a second effort to reach the line.
The Stormers came out sharper after the break. Fly-half Yaqeen Ahmed kicked two penalties in three minutes to put the visitors in front.
Edinburgh hit back just before the hour. Jerry Blyth-Lafferty picked off a loose Stormers throw at the tail of the lineout, and prop Paul Hill crashed over for the opening try. Grayson converted to retake the lead.
There were big moments at both ends. Piers O'Connor bundled Stormers winger Wandisile Simelane into touch to stop a certain score. Then Hacjivah Dayimani peeled off a dominant scrum — the bunched push contested by both packs — near the Edinburgh posts to score for the Stormers.
McHaffie had the final say with his late strike. Grayson added the conversion to complete Edinburgh's 17 points from two tries, two conversions and a penalty.
The Stormers' 13 came from Dayimani's try, one conversion and two penalties from Ahmed. McConnell then disrupted the Stormers lineout on the final play to seal the win and cap a fine defensive shift.
The night also featured Siya Kolisi's first appearance in a Stormers shirt in over five years. Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt described the result as a very hard-earned win.
What makes this stand out is how Edinburgh won it. The set-piece steals hurt the Stormers early. The cover defence held late. And a teenager delivered the decisive moment.
