Edinburgh are sunk by a familiar face in rugby’s Challenge Cup final.

RUGBY: Scotland skipper kicks 14 points in Gloucester’s Challenge Cup victory

EDINBURGH 13 GLOUCESTER 19

Greig Laidlaw smashed the Euro glory dream of his old mates as streetwise Gloucester lifted rugby’s Challenge Cup last night.

The Scotland skipper emerged as the architect of the triumph in addition to slotting 14 crucial points at The Stoop.

And he claimed victory in the personal duel with young pretender Sammy Clyne in the race to be the first-choice World Cup scrum-half for the Scots.

After being under the cosh for most of the encounter, Edinburgh bounced back strongly when rival centre Billy Meakes was red-carded.

But they couldn’t quite complete the revival.

The Scots had made a positive start and their efforts were rewarded with a penalty for failure to release at the tackle scene.

Up stepped Clyne to confidently send it between the posts from 40 metres.

Gloucester hit back with a mazy run into enemy territory by Charlie Sharples and only a last-gasp ankle-tap by Cornell Du Preez prevented him going all the way.

The Kingsholm man kept up the pressure and it was no surprise when Laidlaw levelled the issue with an angled strike.

Edinburgh were stung again two minutes later as James Hook and Jonny May combined in slick fashion to send captain Billy Twelvetrees in for a simple try. Laidlaw added the extras.

Gloucester continued to earn the vast bulk of possession, with the capital side having to dig deeper and deeper to survive.

Another solo dash by May looked like ending up with score No 2, but another desperate tap-tackle by Du Preez saved the day.

Seconds later, Edinburgh were reduced to 14 men when lock Anton Bresler was yellow carded for a professional foul virtually on his own line.

Two excellent breaks in quick succession by Phil Burleigh gave Edinburgh their first attacking opportunity of the contest.

And Clyne repaired some of the damage with his second pinpoint penalty five minutes before the interval, only to see Laidlaw restore his team’s advantage.

There was further frustration in stoppage time as Clyne fired his next kick wide of the near post.

Gloucester were out the traps at a blistering pace at the restart and Edinburgh seemed consigned to another period of brave marking and tackling.

Laidlaw preserved his 100% marksmanship record with penalty No 3 from close quarters. And the 10-point cushion began to look daunting for the Murrayfield troops.

Their plight grew even deeper in the 52nd minute as he repeated the dose.

Edinburgh sensed a comeback chance after Ross Moriarty was sin-binned for dangerous use of the knee at a ruck.

Then Meakes was shown a straight red for a throat-high off-the-ball block on Sam Beard.

With 60 seconds, the game was blown wide open as Ross Ford burrowed over for a try. Clyne’s conversion slashed the gap to six with 13 minute remaining.

Edinburgh kept up the tempo, but they couldn’t make the breakthrough when it really mattered.

Picture: Getty. Greig Laidlaw with the Challenge Cup after Gloucester edged out Edinburgh at The Stoop.