Edinburgh produce an incredible fightback to shock Stade Francais
EDINBURGH pulled off a quite unbelievable European Challenge Cup win over Stade Francais last night with a second half at BT Murrayfield as stunning as the first was abject.
The hosts were not at the races in the first half and went inside at half-time 20-3 down, having been comfortably outmuscled and outclassed. But three tries after the break, finished by Damien Hoyland, Ben Toolis and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne brought them roaring back into the game.
What made it all the more astonishing was the fact that they played most of the second period with 14 men after centre Phil Burleigh was sent off for striking Stade skipper Pascal Pape, whose own theatrical reaction was symptomatic of his side’s loss of control in the second period.
There were less than three minutes on the clock when the Frenchmen opened the scoring, flexing their muscle with an early lineout maul, invoking a penalty, and Fijian centre Waisea Vuidravuwalu powered over. Morne Steyn, the Springbok fly-half, converted and added a drop-goal from the next period of attack, underlining the intent to build a lead swiftly.
Superb lineout work by Grant Gilchrist, in defence and attack, and the long and high kicking of Duncan Weir — the fly-half was creative with ball in hand, too — gave Edinburgh a route into the game in the first quarter, but Stade’s defence, now coached by former Edinburgh defence chief Omar Mouneimne, had all the answers.
Edinburgh’s scramble defence stopped that threat, but it was temporary as talented young flanker Sekou Macalou found a way through for the second try just into the second quarter.
Stade were reduced to 14 men when their veteran Samoa skipper Paul Williams was yellow-carded for tip-tackling Viliame Mata on a charge by the Fijian into the visitors’ 22. Weir kicked three points from in front of the posts.
With just six minutes of the half remaining, Edinburgh had finally registered points, and taken advantage of the extra man, but within seconds of Williams returning, a scrum penalty the other way enabled Steyn to counter and send Stade into half-time with a commanding 17-point lead.
Whatever acting Edinburgh coach Duncan Hodge said at half-time, however, had an effect, as the hosts flew from the traps to score three tries in 15 minutes. The first came from a great attack off a lineout on the right finished on the left by Hoyland, the second from Toolis after a superb lineout maul and the third when scrumhalf Hidalgo-Clyne’s arm reached just far enough to touch down.
The third came after Burleigh was shown a red card for striking Pape, countless replays requested by the referee showing contact was made and also revealing Pape’s ‘dive’ to be ridiculous.
Steyn extended Stade’s lead to 23-15, but Edinburgh refused to be bowed and after fine work by Michael Allen and Blair Kinghorn, Hidalgo-Clyne finished off pressure with a reach for the line to clinch the third try. Weir kicked the hosts into the lead and wrapped up a stunning win that puts the Scots top of the pool with three wins from three.