Richard is new tartan hero as Gunners help Warriors qualify

EDINBURGH ....... 19 MONTPELLIER...10

FORMER England star Richard Cockerill was Scotland’s hero last night on an evening of European magic at Murrayfield.

Not only did his Edinburgh Gunners earn a home-turf Champions Cup quarter-final clash – rivals Glasgow hitched a lift into the knockout rounds.

The result meant the Warriors go through as one of the best pool runners-up – no matter what happens in today’s clash with Saracens.

It is the first time both Scots pro teams have made the advanced stages together.

Delighted prop Willem Nel, who earned the man-of-thematch award, said: “This has been a long time coming. We have been working hard for two years for something like this to happen – and it feels fantastic.

“To make sure of a home tie in the quarter-finals is almost unbelievable. We don’t care who we play – we will take on anyone.”

Skipper Stuart McInally said: “I couldn’t be prouder. The forwards enabled us to control things and we kept composed. It’s a great achievement and we can go even further.”

The visitors’ game plan was to keep it tight, using their giant pack to hit up in a bid to suck in the markers.

And a rare spill by Bill Mata enabled the French outfit to put pressure on early.

Duhan van der Merwe’s run set up the first raid for Gunners and they gambled with a penalty line out over a kick.

Montpellier offended again close to the line and Jaco van der Walt made no mistake.

He then repeated the feat three minutes later before the visitors were kept out by a series of frantic tackles.

An illegal high challenge gave them fresh momentum but they lost control and knocked on in the danger zone.

Edinburgh suffered a blow on the half-hour mark when Hamish Watson went off with an arm injury and was replaced by youngster Luke Crosbie.

Van der Walt had a longrange chance but this time he pushed it wide. He then made amends after Dewald Nel was hauled down by the neck.

Montpellier were desperate to break their duck before the break and were rewarded as lock Jacques du Plessis drove over, Ruan Pienaar adding extras.

They kept up the momentum after the restart and former Ulster foe Pienaar edged them in front with an angled penalty.

Pienaar was in the spotlight to beat Blair Kinghorn to the first touch when van der Walt sent a chip into the try zone.

Van der Walt then reclaimed the advantage by finding the target for the fourth time.

And even better was to come in 60 minutes when Darcy Graham dived over in the corner in the wake of a superb pick and drive sequence.

Van der Walt obliged with the wickedly hard conversion.