Edinburgh find courage to end season with pride

Sean Everitt talked about a fast start and a strong finish. He got both of those, but it was the bit in the middle that saw the Bulls pull out of sight.

However, the fight Edinburgh showed to get ahead and then set up a tense-ish finale was admirable.

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They were able to pick themselves up off the canvas after the three-try blitz that would have left others floored. Tries from Ewan Ashman and Wes Goosen made a game of it, but they just couldn’t climb the mountain.

If only they could show that hunger, fight and desire in every game, they wouldn’t have had to face the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld – one of the hardest away days in the league.

Young guns offer hope for next season

There was a moment in the final 10 minutes that threatened to swing the game back Edinburgh’s way.

Ali Price’s up-and-under was chased by Harry Paterson, who smashed Canan Moodie back. Liam McConnell, the 20-year-old back-row just off the bench, cleaned out the ruck. Ben Muncaster followed to win the ruck penalty.

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Three young players, all with huge futures, combining to set up a potential game-swinging moment. It didn’t quite work out like that – the subsequent line-out was turned over by the Bulls – but it showed there is hope for the future.

With Dave Cherry away, promising hooker Paddy Harrison will get even more game time after a breakthrough season. Freddy Douglas, Muncaster and Liam McConnell will be knocking on the door. Tom Currie, too.

Connor McAlpine was on the bench for this one, with fellow scrum-half Hector Patterson also highly regarded. No scrum-half replacement will be sought for the outgoing Price.

Bradbury shows captain’s qualities again

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In the absence of co-captains Grant Gilchrist and Ben Vellacott, both missing through injury, it was once again Magnus Bradbury’s turn to wear the armband.

It is now a long time since he was stripped off the captaincy due to an off-field incident, aged just 22.

Here, he delivered another stellar performance with the weight of responsibility having no burden at all.

He bungled one restart, which did prove costly, but spoke well after the game about how Edinburgh have had a tough season, but how they should be a top-four team.

Lofty ambitions? Sure. But if he can lift his team-mates to play at his level, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be aiming that high.