Patterson scores twice as Edinburgh beat Lions 31-10 to stay unbeaten

Hector Patterson scored twice and created two more tries as Edinburgh defeated Lions 31-10 at Hive Stadium on Friday, extending their perfect start to the United Rugby Championship season. BBC Sport reported that the bonus-point victory left Sean Everitt's side top of the table on 19 points after four wins from four league matches.

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Edinburgh led only 5-3 at half-time in wet and windy conditions. Matt Currie scored the opening try after combining with Patterson, before Mosese Tuipulotu gathered the scrum-half's offload to cross after the interval. Patterson then finished a backs move under the posts as the hosts increased their advantage in a match that had been closely contested before the break.

Batho Hlekani supplied Lions' only try, but Patterson responded by taking a quick penalty and racing into the corner for the score that secured Edinburgh's bonus point. Geordie Gwynn added the fifth try late on. Lions finished the evening with two victories and two defeats from their opening four league fixtures.

The performance came two days after Edinburgh announced improved contract terms for the 21-year-old Patterson through the end of the 2027/28 season. The club said the agreement took immediate effect, replacing the terms of his first professional deal earlier this year. He had already scored against Ulster in the league opener and established a half-back partnership with summer arrival James Grayson.

Patterson's progress also follows a strong finish to the previous campaign, when he started Edinburgh's final four matches and scored against Zebre Parma and the Sharks, according to the club. A product of Jed-Forest, Hawick and Edinburgh's academy, he was part of Scotland's 2024 World Rugby U20 Trophy-winning squad before making his mark at senior club level.

Edinburgh's evening was tempered by Duhan van der Merwe's early departure on his return to action. The Offside Line reported that he went off after 18 minutes, with Everitt describing a cut to his hand. The coach had not yet spoken to the medical staff when discussing the issue, leaving the extent of the injury unclear.