Edinburgh’s brave defence cracks against in-form French

LA ROCHELLE took their good recent form from the French Top 14 into the Champions Cup last night as they won their Pool A opener at Murrayfield.

The visitors dominated the first 40 minutes, but had only a five point advantage at the break.

A try in the 43rd minute by full-back Jeremy Sinzelle put them ten points up before they had to withstand an Edinburgh fightback to come out on top 13-8.

After an energetic start from both sides, it was the French outfit who took the lead in the 12th minute when Edinburgh second-row Andrew Davidson was penalised on halfway.

La Rochelle stand-off Jules Plisson kicked the long range effort.

Six minutes later the French side nearly scored the opening try.

Winger Raymond Rhule picked up a loose ball 20 metres out and slipped a pass inside to centre Geoffrey Doumayrou with the try line beckoning, but a tackle from Edinburgh No.8 Viliame Mata saw the ball knocked on.

With the likes of second-row Will Skelton and skipper Gregory Alldritt making inroads, La Rochelle’s pressure did tell in the 25th minute when the ball was shipped wide and Rhule went over on the left. Plisson missed the conversion and it was 8-0.

Edinburgh were doing a lot of defensive work, but were struggling to impose themselves in attack.

But when they did get into the La Rochelle 22 for the first time in the 37th minute they won a penalty for offside.

Stand-off Jaco van der Walt kicked the points before Plisson missed a long range penalty to leave it at 8-3 to the visitors at the interval.

Ihaia West replaced Plisson for the second period and it was his kick that led to La Rochelle’s second try.

Edinburgh co-captain Henry Pyrgos misjudged the high kick in his own 22 and, after it was hacked on, Sinzelle pounced to score an unconverted effort.

In the 52nd minute an unconverted try by fullback Blair Kinghorn, set-up by a grubber kick by centre Chris Dean, cut the gap to 13-8.

A missed penalty by West in the 67th minute left the home side still in the match.

With four minutes to go Edinburgh had a driving lineout chance five metres from the La Rochelle line, but referee Luke Pearce deemed that back-row Hamish Watson had knocked on, the chance was gone and La Rochelle were victorious.