\n<\/p>\n
Edinburgh<\/strong>(15) 44<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n| Tries: <\/strong>Vellacott, Young, Graham 2, Hoyland, Kinghorn, Dean; <\/span>Pen: <\/strong>Bennett; <\/span>Cons:<\/strong> Bennett 3<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Dragon<\/strong>(6) 6<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | Pens:<\/strong> Hanrahan 2<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n | Edinburgh recovered from a slow start to demolish Dragons and mark the opening of the United Rugby Championship campaign with an emphatic bonus-point win.<\/span><\/p>\n Tries from Ben Vellacott and Glen Young cancelled out two early JJ Hanrahan penalties for Dragons.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n After the break Darcy Graham crossed twice and Damien Hoyland, Blair Kinghorn, and Chris Dean also scored as Edinburgh started the season in style.<\/span><\/p>\n Dragons faded after a solid start.<\/span><\/p>\n It was a scrappy opening from Edinburgh but after Hanrahan kicked Dragons six points in front, Mike Blair’s side began to move through the gears.<\/span><\/p>\n Vellacott just about touched down from inches out before second row Young trucked his way through to give the hosts a six-point cushion, which Mark Bennett made nine with a penalty before half-time when Dragons’ Lloyd Fairbrother was sin-binned.<\/span><\/p>\n Graham ran in at the corner following a powerful maul to make it 20-6 shortly after the break to put the hosts firmly in control.<\/span><\/p>\n And the Scotland winger scored a fantastic second try when he picked up a loose ball just outside Dragons’ 22 and jinked his way past some flailing tacklers.<\/span><\/p>\n Even when Fairbrother returned from the bin, Edinburgh turned the screw. <\/span><\/p>\n Kinghorn came off the bench and spun a great pass for Hoyland to dive into the corner, kicked through to score himself, then broke from deep before putting Dean over for Edinburgh’s seventh try under the posts.<\/span><\/p>\n By the time Nick Haining was sin-binned late on, Edinburgh had eased up as they cruised to an impressive victory.<\/span><\/p>\n Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair:<\/strong> “Really pleased on the whole. It took us a while to get going, and I thought Dragons kicked really well early on.<\/span><\/p>\n “Darcy [Graham] and Mark [Bennett] are two internationals that came straight back in, and they did because they looked so sharp in training.<\/span><\/p>\n “The half-time message was to put the pressure on them at the set-piece. We talk about finding a way, and pinpointing weaknesses.”<\/span><\/p>\n Dragons director of rugby Dean Ryan<\/strong>: “It wasn’t good enough. From where we were in pre-season, we looked nervous in the first 20 minutes. If we’re going to improve and get better we’re going to have to have some honest conversations.<\/span><\/p>\n “We’ve got supposed talent in our side. But I don’t see the work rate at the moment or the desire to be in the right positions.”<\/span><\/p>\n Edinburgh: <\/strong>Henry Immelman; Darcy Graham, Mark Bennett, Chris Dean, Damien Hoyland; Charlie Savala, Ben Vellacott; Boan Venter, Dave Cherry, Angus Williams, Marshall Sykes, Glen Young, Jamie Ritchie, Luke Crosbie, Viliame Mata<\/span><\/p>\n Replacements: Stuart McInally, Pierre Schoeman, WP Nel, Sam Skinner, Nick Haining, Henry Pyrgos, Blair Kinghorn, James Lang<\/span><\/p>\n Dragons: <\/strong>Angus O’Brien; Rio Dyer, Sio Tomkinson, Jack Dixon, Jared Rosser; JJ Hanrahan, Rhodri Williams; Aki Seiuli, Bradley Roberts, Lloyd Fairbrother, Ben Carter, Will Rowlands (c), Sean Lonsdale, Ben Fry, Ross Moriarty<\/span><\/p>\n Replacements: Elliot Dee, Josh Reynolds, Chris Coleman, Joe Davies, Taine Basham, Lewis Jones, Will Reed, Jordan Williams<\/span><\/p>\n |