STING IN THE TAIL
Wasps’ late show sees Edinburgh exit Europe
Edinburgh..30 Wasps ..34 Mike Blair admits a couple of “brain farts” cost Edinburgh as Wasps took the wind out of their European sails.
Hopes of winning a first European trophy were dashed at the death as the English outfit held on to book their place in the Challenge Cup last four.
Edinburgh, in their first season under head coach Blair, played the final five minutes with 14 men after f lanker Connor
Boyle was sent to the sin-bin for collapsing a maul.
Blair’s boys were in the fight right until the end, only to lose a big game for a second week running following a 16-10 defeat to Ulster on league duty.
The head coach said: “We played some brilliant rugby at times.
“We took our opportunities better than last week, although we probably still left a couple out there and defended with a huge amount of heart.
“But just a few things, like a couple of kick-offs we lost where we’d fought that momentum back, it was like bursting a balloon. Suddenly you’re up against it again and that can have a big impact, so that was disappointing.
“I’ve such mixed emotions similar to the Ulster game. I’m so proud of lots of the positive stuff we did but we undid it with a couple of little brain farts or decisions that went against us.”
A late call that should have seen a penalty awarded against Wasps forward Brad Shields failed to materialise.
Blair added: “The penalty count was 14-7, which was disappointing because some of the calls were right and I could not understand a couple of the others.
“I’m going to have to check the law book on a few to make sure I’m right before I say anything.
“The crowd were outstanding and the stadium was absolutely buzzing again.
“The crowd were putting everything behind the team. But we did lose the game and I want to be learning lessons while we’re winning games.”
Edinburgh went in at the break 17-10 up thanks to tries from Ben Vellacott and Adam McBurney, both converted by Emiliano Boffelli who added a penalty.
When Boffelli made it 20-10 with another penalty not long into the second half, the last four looked imminent.
Wasps hit back with 17 unanswered points but, with barely a dozen minutes left, Magnus Bradbury finished off from a lineout and Boffelli converted to level.
Boffelli’s long-range penalty put his team three points clear eight minutes from time, then came Boyle’s yellow.
Wasps sent the ball to touch and manof-the-match Alfie Barbeary eventually crossed the line before Jimmy Gopperth converted as Edinburgh exited.