Fans can stir team to Euro success – Bennett

Mark Bennett is hoping the DAM Health Stadium crowd can help give Edinburgh the edge as they bid to see off Wasps in Saturday’s Challenge Cup rugby union quarter-final.

The Scots have proved formidable on home turf since moving from BT Murrayfield to their new purpose-built ground next door to the national stadium at the start of this season.

Last Saturday’s United Rugby Championship defeat by Ulster was their first loss at the DAM Health.

Bennett admits his team have benefited from their new surroundings and is hopeful they can set about re-establishing their home as a fortress this weekend.

“The stadium’s been amazing,” the 29-yearold centre said.

“The pitch is brilliant and we play a great brand of rugby on it. The atmosphere it generates is awesome.

“We had a sell-out at the weekend and the crowd were huge for us. It’s been a real positive step for us coming in here.

“We’ve got huge games to finish the season and the atmosphere in here will help.

“It’s great that we’ve got a home quarterfinal because those games are usually down to tight margins, so hopefully the crowd can pull us through.”

Bennett is relishing the prospect of trying to help Edinburgh endorse their promising campaign by making it into the semi-final of European competition.

“It’s massively exciting,” he said of this weekend’s last-eight showdown.

“We’ve been here before a couple of times in the last few years and we’ve not managed to progress, so as a club we’ve got to go that one step further and keep pushing towards hopefully winning the tournament.”