Rugby: Greig Laidlaw aims for renewed Euro drive

Published on 22/08/2012 12:00

Edinburgh Rugby captain Greig Laidlaw has sounded a rallying call by insisting a benchmark had been set by reaching the last European Cup knock out stages.

Recalling how 38,000 watched the club record a Murrayfield quarter-final win over Toulouse, Laidlaw said: “The whole city got behind us, there was a great buzz about — the first time I have felt that in Edinburgh.

“I believe that if we can emulate something like that in the league and the Heineken Cup, the same thing will happen. It was a great occasion and winning rugby is what entices 
people back, so that is our plan for the season.”

Meanwhile, Pro 12 boss John Feehan has fired a warning to English and French rugby 
rivals who want to force changes in European Cup qualification.

A meeting in Dublin next month is likely to hear pressure stepped up to scrap national quotas and introduce a qualification system based on performance. But Feehan said: “I don’t think we should change our product because somebody from outside tells us to, I understand their complaints, but those are issues for the English and French to deal with domestically.”

Anglo/French arguments are based on an absence of Rabo relegation leaving teams able to prioritise Europe.