Laidlaw’s silver lining for Cherry and White exit

Rugby union: Scot set for memorable swansong for in Challenge Cup final

Scotland scrum half Greig Laidlaw wants the perfect end to his career with Premiership rugby union club Gloucester with victory in the European Rugby Challenge Cup final at the venue where his professional playing career began.

The Borderer made a timely return for his club in Saturday’s semi-final win against La Rochelle in France, playing the final 19 minutes on his return from injury suffered in the six nations loss to France in February, as the Cherry and Whites became the first team to beat the Top14 leaders at Stade MarcelDeflandre this season.

The win confirmed Gloucester’s trip to face Stade Francais Paris at BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh on May 12, where Laidlaw has earned 33 of his 58 Scotland caps and spent eight seasons – three as captain – at Edinburgh Rugby from 2006 before moving south in 2014.

Laidlaw, who will cross the channel to join Clermont Auvergne at the end of the season, is delighted to be back and said: “The physio and strength and conditioning teams have worked really hard to get me to this place. I felt good in the semi-final and will continue to work on getting my sharpness back.

“I’m feeling better every day. It’s just about fine tuning now.”

Fellow Scotland back Matt Scott – another to be injured in the six nations – is also nearing a return after scoring four tries in the pool stages.

Laidlaw won the trophy in 2015 and said: “If we could win again it would certainly top it off.

“It would be brilliant to finish my Gloucester career in Edinburgh on a high.

“It would be unique in a sense.

“I love playing at Murrayfield for Scotland – the recent win against Ireland was one of my most memorable games in the Scotland shirt – so it would be great to add another in Gloucester colours before I move on.

“It would be a nice way to finish.

“Supporters have been queuing at the ticket office since we beat La Rochelle so I expect we’ll see a few of them in Edinburgh for the final.

“Hopefully, with the Scottish connection to Gloucester through me and many other Scotland players before, we’ll have the backing of the Scottish support as well.”

Clermont Auvergne will face Saracens in the European Rugby Champions Cup final the following day at the same venue.

“It would be brilliant to finish my Gloucester career in Edinburgh”

FINAL FLOURISH: Scotland scum half Greig Laidlaw is hoping to end his Gloucester career with a victory against Stade Francais Paris in the Challenge Cup final at Murrayfield