Sean Everitt explains how Edinburgh wingers were able to capitalise in victory over Cardiff

The score set them on their way to a second bonus-point victory in a row in the United Rugby Championship after they opened the season with three successive defeats.

As well as talking up van der Merwe’s performance, the Edinburgh coach was also quick to compliment his team’s inside backs who ensured both wingers saw plenty of the ball during an exciting match in which the home team scored all four of their tries after the interval. Pierre Schoeman, Darcy Graham and Ewan Ashman also touched down, with the latter’s try coming in the final minute. Thomas Young scored for the visitors who led 5-3 at half-time.

Van der Merwe struggled to get on the ball during last week’s win over the Stormers but Scotland’s record try-scorer was far more involved this time.

“Duhan has worked hard at his game,” said Everitt after the win which lifted Edinburgh into sixth place. “When you're on the wing and are a world class player, the opposition tend to close you down and we've got to understand that teams don't want Darcy and Duhan to get the ball, so they'll do everything in their capacity to stop us getting the ball there. We do have to find other ways - today fortunately they had the ball in space and Duhan was workmanlike, so well done to him.”

Everitt added: “There was more flow in our attack and we got the ball into our wingers’ hands in space for a change. So hats off to the inside backs for that.

“I thought Ali Price was outstanding in clearing the breakdown, and Ross Thompson distributed well, which gave them the space on the edges.

“The breakdown was a bit of a concern - we’ll have a look and see how Cardiff got away with some shenanigans there. But that’s rugby. It’s all about speed of ball, and we need to be better in that department so we can get the speed of ball that we need to be able to get over the line.”