Edinburgh heavy weather of having set-piece dominance in their first home match of the Rabodirect PRO12 season at Murrayfield last night but it worked just in time for victory over the Dragons.
Harry Leonard booted a penalty in front of the posts with the last kick of the game after the capital side’s scrummage finally splintered the Welshmen.
The young fly-half had just missed a long drop-goal, only to get a second chance thanks to an unlikely blunder by Italian international Kris Burton, who kicked his drop-out straight into touch, allowing Edinburgh that last crucial scrum.
Tim Visser scored Edinburgh’s only try on his return from injury but the home side should really have had more for their scrum advantage and the lineout drives that had the Dragons often in full retreat.
“We made things difficult for ourselves in the second half because we made too many errors that lost us territory, so to come out with a win is very pleasing,” said head coach Alan Solomons.
“Our scrummage was outstanding, the pack is generally going well, but we need a little more composure when going forward.
“It was a relief to pull out a win at the very end and it’ll hopefully give us a big confidence boost.”
The Dragons scrum was under significant pressure from the off and even the early arrival off the bench of Lions hero Toby Faletau couldn’t stop the home side’s momentum.
Just two Harry Leonard penalties were all Edinburgh had to show in the first 40 for all that dominance, to one from the Dragons’ Jason Tovey.
Even when constant pressure led to Lewis Evans being sin-binned for persistent infringements by the visitors, Edinburgh opted for the scrum in the shadow of the posts and were frustratingly penalised.
Into the second half and with a minute left on the yellow card, the influential David Denton joined the backs at full pace and got an offload away to Visser, who finished in the corner, Leonard adding the conversion tight on the touchline.
The Dragons bounced back within five minutes, however, forcing a penalty and, after one snipe from the lineout was stalled, former Edinburgh scrum-half Richie Rees darted over, Tovey converting.
That knocked the wind right out of Edinburgh’s sails and the match descended into a midfield arm-wrestle, with the Dragons fighting their way to a penalty which Burton, on for Tovey as a replacement, kicked to level the scores with five minutes remaining.
Edinburgh did work the position for Leonard to try a last-gasp drop goal but, although the young fly-half’s attempt was too far out to worry the posts, Burton hurried his drop-out straight to touch, giving Edinburgh a gift of scrum on the Dragons 22 with seconds left on the clock.
The home side finally had a chance to make their scrummage superiority tell and duly drove the Dragons backwards to force a penalty, which Leonard kicked from point-blank to win the game.