The URC returned with a remarkable first round of action that saw an average winning margin of just two points across the six matches played.
Here are some of the best stats as the two Scottish sides kicked off their respective campaigns.
Edinburgh
On Friday night at Hive Stadium, Edinburgh went down to a sixth consecutive defeat in their head-to-head against eight-times champions Leinster.
While a home loss is never ideal, the capital club can at least reflect positively on picking up both bonus points.
That’s something Edinburgh had never previously managed against the side from Dublin.
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Given that they missed out on the play-offs last season due to a lack of bonus points, it could be significant come the end of the campaign.
Half-backs Ali Price and Ross Thompson lost the fifth consecutive game they have started together – but they were 60 points closer on the scoreboard to Leinster than their most recent outing together, a quarter-final drubbing for Glasgow Warriors in Dublin in 2022.
Try 1: Pierre Schoeman
Across the last 15 years, the only other forward to score the first try of a season for Edinburgh is Fraser McKenzie in 2019/20. The last prop to bag the opening try was Geoff Cross way back in 2008/09 (in the third game of that campaign).
Schoeman has scored eight tries for club and country so far in 2024 – the most he has managed in any calendar year during his career.
Try 2: Duhan van der Merwe
This was van der Merwe’s 70th try for Edinburgh and Scotland.
Try 3: Dave Cherry
Cherry crossed in a match at the Hive for the first time in more than a year, with his most recent try at home coming in April 2023 against Ospreys. Edinburgh front rows have scored 20 tries in the club’s last 14 games.
Try 4: Duhan van der Merwe
Van der Merwe has amassed 35 tries in home matches for his club (one for every 114 minutes played) while he has 8 tries at away venues (one for every 403 minutes played).
Try 5: Matt Scott
There were 1,680 days between Edinburgh scores for Matt Scott with his previous try coming away against Scarlets in February 2020, prior to crossing on his third debut on Friday evening.
Glasgow Warriors
The Warriors travelled to the Kingspan Stadium where they hadn’t beaten Ulster since 2013 but, despite leading for all-bar two minutes of the second half, they couldn’t end their longest streak of away losses against any URC opponent.
Read more:
- Five things we learned as Ulster's late try condemns Glasgow to defeat
- Q&A: Franco Smith proud of Glasgow despite Ulster loss
A losing bonus point will feel like small consolation for their efforts but having been defeated by an average of 16 points across the last decade it does at least get them on the board for this season.
Try 1: Johnny Matthews
The prolific poacher was up to his usual tricks in Belfast, notching his 40th Warriors’ score. He is the first hooker to bag Glasgow’s opening try of the season for 25 years – since Gav Scott managed the same feat against Pontypridd in September 1999.
Try 2: Henco Venter
It took Venter 946 minutes to break his scoring duck for the Warriors when he barged over against the Stormers towards the end of last season.
Try 3: Kyle Steyn
Steyn has scored or assisted on 11 tries in his last 13 games for Glasgow and Scotland.
The club captain is now out on his own in 10th place on the Warriors’ top try-scorers list with 26. He needs just one more score to surpass Thom Evans.
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