Caledonia Dreaming or Ian38018 Sporting Travels: Hive Stadium

Sunday, 20 October 2024

Hive Stadium

Edinburgh Rugby 27-8 Cardiff Rugby

19th October 2024

Following a heavy home defeat to Glasgow Warriors a couple of weeks ago, Cardiff Rugby were handed out another Caledonian cuffing, this time in the Scottish capital.

The Welsh side actually led at the break, following a frantic and frenetic (?frentic) first period, which saw each side have a try disallowed, and have a player sin-binned. And there was also a delightfully silly 30-player playground pushing and shoving rammy on the half-time whistle, for us all to enjoy.

In amongst all this action, Cardiff scored the only try of the first-half; Thomas YOUNG balletically diving over into the corner after 28 minutes. 5-3 the visitors led at the break, but Edinburgh were soon ahead following the restart, as Duhan VAN DER MERWE outdid Young's acrobatics in the same corner to touch down.

Cardiff's captain Sheedy did pull his side back within two points of their hosts with a penalty, but that was as good as it got for the visitors. Edinburgh scored two tries in quick succession just after the hour: the first by prop Pierre SCHOEMAN, the next by Darcy GRAHAM, he finishing a fine move involving Hamish Watson and Ali Price. And that sorta knocked the stuffing out of the Welsh lads.

Edinburgh picked up a bonus point with a fourth try in the closing minutes when Evan Lloyd overthrew a line-out into the slightly startled, but nevertheless grateful, arms of Ewan ASHMAN who ambled over to score. Ross Thompson converted to leave the final score Edinburgh 27 Cardiff 8.

This had been my first visit to The Edinburgh Rugby Stadium (or Hive Stadium, as it is presently known for sponsorship reasons). Despite the fact the venue has been in use now for just over three years, the whole place does have the unfortunate look of a very impermanent structure. All four stands appear to be constructed out of scaffolding and plastic panels. With a veritable forest of roof-supporting pillars for the spectator's eyeline to negotiate.

But, that being said, the neat mix of standing and seating areas adds to the atmosphere created by the crowd, and the venue's capacity of 7,800 is perfectly acceptable for the majority of Edinburgh Rugby's United Rugby Championship home matches.

The main exception, of course, being the traditional Festive Weekend 1872 Cup visit of Glasgow Warriors, which is switched to Murrayfield Stadium itself. Last season, I was part of a whopping crowd of almost 38,000 who pitched up for that match of the two-legged tussle. Anything to get out of the house around Christmas!

I note Glasgow are moving their 1872 Cup home match with Edinburgh on December 22nd this season to Hampden Park, in the hope of enticing a similar number of bods along.