Edinburgh’s Euro dream falls apart
EDINBURGH’S season is effectively over after another dismal display saw their European dreams brought to a halt by French league leaders La Rochelle.
This Challenge Cup quarterfinal defeat followed six Guinness Pro12 losses in a campaign where the club’s performances have gone from bad to worse.
The damage was done in a sloppy, error-strewn first-half and, although Edinburgh made a valiant effort to get back into the game after the interval, it was too little, too late.
Acting head coach Duncan Hodge said: ‘I’m gutted at that loss and so are the players. The poor start killed us as we gave ourselves a lot to do. What makes it so frustrating is that this was a winnable game.
‘Some of our composure when it matters wasn’t good enough. We could have brought it back to 29-29 as we were on their line with a four-man overlap but didn’t take our chance. I’m beginning to sound like a broken record but it has to be said.’
Leading by 14 points at the break, La Rochelle had been given an easy ride early on.
Two avoidable tries were lost in similar circumstances within the first 15 minutes.
Blair Kinghorn’s missed tackle on man-of-the-match Arthur Retiere, who ran on to score, was inexcusable.
Out of Europe and with no chance of making the Pro12 play-offs, Edinburgh only have pride to play for between now and the end of the season.
Who will Richard Cockerill retain when he takes over in the summer? On this evidence, not many.
Hamish Watson, Grant Gilchrist and Cornell Du Preez all put in a decent shift. Ross Ford was his usual consistent self and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne showed his international class in flashes.
But, with so many journeymen elsewhere, Cockerill will surely usher in a summer clear-out.
La Rochelle’s first score followed an error by Kinghorn, who sliced a kick so badly it just managed to find touch a few metres out.
The visitors won the line-out and, with Jeremie Maurouard tucked in behind the maul, they rolled over for a try.
La Rochelle’s second try came from a line-out in very nearly the same place, with Maurouard again going over. Brock James put over both conversions.
Chris Dean could have given his side a lifeline but delayed a pass to Hidalgo-Clyne, allowing defenders to snuff out the danger.
Edinburgh scored a try against the run of play when, in his first contribution, Jason Tovey played Phil Burleigh. He took advantage of a missed tackle to touch down, with Tovey duly converting.
The French outfit scored a third try, which followed another error from Kinghorn. Retiere easily evaded the full-back’s poor attempt at a tackle to score.
A superb break from Retiere then set up Steve Barry for the visitors’ fourth try of the match.
Edinburgh had the final word in an entertaining first half when Ford went over in the corner.
And they made a decent start to the second period, with Watson latching onto a pass from Viliame Mata to score. Hidalgo-Clyne’s conversion made it a seven-point game.
La Rochelle, realising they were under threat for the first time, decided to step up a gear.
Unlike the first 40 minutes when they were posted missing, the Edinburgh defence managed to repel phase after phase of attack from the French outfit.
The next score was always going to be vital and Edinburgh were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty try when Lekso Kaulashvili took out Damien Hoyland off the ball after he had kicked it on.
However, after consulting the TMO, referee Luke Pearce thought otherwise as he felt there were covering defenders.
Kaulashvili was yellow carded and Duncan Weir kicked the resultant penalty to reduce the deficit to four points. Game on? Not really. Any hopes Edinburgh had of taking something from the match were ended by La Rochelle’s fly-half James.
He put over a penalty with ten minutes left and another two minutes from time.
Had the capital side not started in such disastrous fashion, this could have been a different game. SCORERS: EDINBURGH — Tries:
Burleigh, Ford, Watson. Cons: Tovey, Hidalgo-Clyne. Pens: Weir. LA ROCHELLE — Tries: Maurouard (2), Retiere, Barry. Cons: James (3). Pens: James (2).