What crisis? Edinburgh Rugby snap losing run in style as Sean Everitt has say on team's character

After three successive defeats, the capital club were under significant pressure going into this game, but they were well worth their 38-7 win. Their pack was excellent, with young forwards Ben Muncaster and Paddy Harrison particularly impressive. Muncaster, starting at openside for the first time, scored two tries and was effervescent and effective throughout.

Harrison also crossed, with the other scores coming from Grant Gilchrist and Darcy Graham on an evening when the hosts needed their senior pros to stand up.

Edinburgh shipped seven tries during a torrid first half against the Lions in South Africa last weekend but they bounced back at the Hive, securing their first win in this season’s United Rugby Championship after a tough run of games.

“This team has never lacked character under my leadership,” said Everitt. “I’m just glad that they were able to put in the performance and get the result that they did against a quality Stormers outfit.

“It’s been a difficult week for everyone. It was always going to be a tricky start to this competition. But it just shows what this team can do with good game management and good leadership. The leaders took responsibility for having gone a little bit off-strategy last week. This week we got it right and hopefully we can build on it.”

If last week was calamitous this was much more like it. Edinburgh were abrasive but disciplined. Gilchrist played a captain’s innings and Ross Thompson controlled the game at stand-off as well as kicking four conversions and a penalty.

Edinburgh dominated possession and territory in the first quarter but they had to be patient before reaping the rewards. Gilchrist thought he had scored the opening try when he dived over a ruck of bodies but it was decided, after a TMO check, that the ball had not been grounded.

The home side continued to trust their big men and the first try was only delayed for a couple of minutes, with hooker Harrison squeezing over.

It had been a sustained effort by the Edinburgh pack and exactly the sort of start Everitt would have wanted. And, much to the coach’s delight, a second try followed three minutes later. Jamie Ritchie won a turnover in midfield and Edinburgh worked the ball wide to Duhan van der Merwe. When the ball was recycled, Ritchie slipped a pass to Muncaster who cut inside superbly and sprinted over. Thompson converted both tries and the Hive was buzzing. Crisis? What crisis?

But the Stormers then woke up. If the first 20 minutes had been all about Edinburgh, the second 20 was dominated by the South Africans. Damian Willemse had a try chalked off because Keke Morabe had knocked on under pressure from Matt Scott and Thompson, but the visitors continued to pummel the Edinburgh line. The home defence was creaking, a lot of penalties were being conceded and eventually the try came, centre Ruhan Nel scoring after a miss-pass from Willemse who added the conversion.

The Stormers had their tails up and Dave Ewers thought he had got through but he was brilliantly held up by Thompson. The half ended on a thrilling note when the brilliant Warrick Gelant produced two dummies and a no-look grubber before the bouncing ball just eluded Angelo Davids.

The Stormers were still in the ascendancy at the start of the second period and Leolin Zas thought he’d scored their second try, but it was disallowed for an infringement as Graham was stripped of the ball in the build-up.

Edinburgh took heart and enjoyed a terrific spell, scoring two tries in four minutes to put the game beyond the visitors. Thompson, who was having an excellent game, uncorked a diagonal kick which had Davids in all sorts of trouble and Edinburgh were able to put their opponents exactly where they wanted them. They pushed and probed and eventually Thompson was able to loop the pass to the waiting Graham to score.

Gilchrist, who’d been denied in the first half, then secured the bonus point for Edinburgh, staying impressively low as he plunged over. Thompson converted both and the home side were 28-7 ahead going into the final 15 minutes.

The stand-off proved himself fallible by missing a fairly straightforward penalty with seven minutes remaining but made amends a couple of moments later by knocking one over to stretch the advantage to 31-7.

Muncaster forced his way over from close range for his second try in the final minute which replacement Cammy Scott converted.