Cool heads key to Edinburgh win over Stormers - McConnell
Cool heads key to Edinburgh win over Stormers - McConnell
Andy Burke - BBC Sport Scotland Senior ReporterSat, October 3, 2026 at 11:16 AM UTC
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Liam McConnell says cool heads in the tough moments was the key to Edinburgh grinding out a hard-earned win over the Stormers in the United Rugby Championship.
The tide appeared to have turned in Stormers favour when Hacjivah Dayimani scored to put the visitors 13-10 up with 14 minutes remaining, but Edinburgh hit back with a try from 19-year-old winger Rory McHaffie to make it two wins from two to start the league campaign.
"We just sort of found a way to get the win I guess," McConnell told BBC Scotland.
"We were under the pump for a bit and then we managed to change the momentum. We did keep our cool. You do need to realise the situation you're in.
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"It wasn't going in our favour so you do need to admit that and realise that and do something to change it.
"It's nothing frantic, it's just clear messages and then sort of act on them."
McConnell was a thorn in the Stormers' lineout all evening, stealing three against the throw in the first half and crucially disrupting a lineout close to the Edinburgh line in the final play.
The decision to compete in the air rather than try to repel the South Africans' rolling maul was a gamble that paid off.
"We were doing it all night and then that last one there, me and Glenn (Young), we kind of had a quick word, should we go up, should we stay down, because if you go up and you don't win it then you could be in big trouble against them," said McConnell. "But we just said we've been going well all night so let's just back it, and we did."
Source: “AOL Sports”
