Scrum-half Hector Patterson ran the show as Edinburgh cruised past Johannesburg's Lions in a United Rugby Championship clash with a distinct African flavour.
South Africa's Lions came into this United Rugby Championship tie carrying Johannesburg's hopes against Scottish opposition, and Edinburgh sent them home empty-handed. The capital side took a comfortable win, with scrum-half Hector Patterson the standout performer.
Patterson was the heartbeat of Edinburgh's display. From the base of the ruck he set the tempo, kept the Lions defence guessing and gave his side the rhythm that made the result look routine. When a nine is this sharp, everything around him tends to click, and Edinburgh's attack looked well-oiled throughout.
For the Lions, it was a tough afternoon in a competition where the South African franchises are expected to hold their own. Since the Lions, Bulls, Sharks and Stormers joined the URC, matches like this have become a regular measure of how African rugby stacks up against Europe's best, and the margin here will sting.
Edinburgh will take real confidence from the way they controlled the contest, with Patterson's form a major positive. The Lions now have work to do to regroup and show the resilience that has made South African sides such a force in this tournament.
