Heinken Cup: Edinburgh 34 - 11 London Irish: Thrilling finish as Edinburgh roar to a stunning victory over London Irish

By DAVID FERGUSON
Published on Monday 23 January 2012 00:40

A TRY by winger Lee Jones with two minutes remaining handed Edinburgh a stunning pool victory and a Heineken Cup quarter-final match with Toulouse back at Murrayfield in April.

Michael Bradley’s side defied the pre-tournament predictions that had the Scots rank outsiders in a pool featuring Cardiff, London Irish and the super-rich Racing Metro 92, finishing in style with a convincing win over a strong London Irish side earned despite the late loss of three key internationalists.

Nick De Luca had been 50/50 during the week after suffering a head knock in the win at Racing Metro and he was withdrawn on Saturday, but David Denton, the powerful back row, followed yesterday with a hamstring and Chris Paterson was withdrawn just 30 minutes before kick-off after a persistent groin injury flared again.

John Houston and Jim Thompson stepped into the back line and Stuart McInally took the No 6 jersey, and all three played crucial roles in the success. Edinburgh supporters were further taken aback by the top stands around Murrayfield being closed off, but as more than 10,000 poured into the ground – creating a new European record for the club – 15 minutes before kick-off the gates were opened and excited supporters flooded upstairs.

They were to be delighted as Edinburgh vied with Cardiff, playing at home to Racing Metro, to become pool champions. The Scots superbly controlled the first-half and manufactured two good tries to lead 20-6 at the break, then withstood an onslaught in the third quarter with hard-working, aggressive defence before finding extra energy to score two tries in a frantic final five minutes.

Edinburgh set the tempo from the start with their big men – Netani Talei, Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford and Sean Cox - providing a great physical lead in attack, and half-backs Mike Blair and Greig Laidlaw playing tactically astute rugby. Laidlaw almost put Matt Scott in for the opening try after just four minutes with a grubber through, but after his opposite number Adrian Jarvis kicked the visitors into a 3-0 lead he tried again and this time it came off, with Tim Visser outpacing the Irish cover to touch down. Laidlaw converted and the atmosphere began to warm.

Collapsing virtually every time, the scrums were a ridiculous waste of energy, referee Peter Fitzgibbon awarding penalties one way then the other, but Edinburgh’s lineout was good, for the most part, with McInally and Grant Gilchrist working well with Cox.

Geoff Cross, a strong ‘man of the match’ contender, produced a superb scrum on the tighthead side that drove up England prop Alex Corbisiero and earned a penalty which Laidlaw stroked between the uprights.

With 21 minutes played, the 10-3 scoreline was replicated in Cardiff, but then Racing notched a try in Wales and Irish pulled back a penalty through Jarvis. Edinburgh’s defence was sound, however, and when a solid period of Irish pressure was ended by a turnover forced by Roddy Grant, and a good kick-chase forced a kick straight to touch from Delon Armitage, only the bounce of the ball into touch deprived Visser of another chance.

Talei stole an Irish lineout near halfway and from a Jones charge, Irish were penalised for not releasing in the tackle, allowing Laidlaw to extend the lead to 13-6 eight minutes from the break.

Edinburgh kept the foot to the floor, however, and after the door was closed on Visser on the left, good leg-drive by forwards and ferocious Irish defence on their line ended with the ball being thrown, loosely, wide to where Jim Thompson was able to pick up and dive over. Laidlaw again converted and they took the 20-6 lead into half-time.

With Racing leading Cardiff at half-time, Edinburgh were halfway to a home quarter-final. The next stage in the process was dousing the inevitable Irish fire at the start of the second half, as the visitors threw everything to find a route back into the game. The hosts achieved that with a good blend of aggression, pace and composure in a near ten-minute period defending their own line as Irish skipper Bob Casey led a side with great talents across its XV.

Twice Irish were given penalties and they ran one and scrummaged the next, but their concerted period in the home 22 ended when Thompson thumped Armitage and the ball went loose for Edinburgh to clear.

The next step for Laidlaw’s men was to get back on the front foot and not only secure victory but grab the bonus point and a chance of topping the pool. They lost another lineout before finally uncovering some field position. From there Edinburgh did score a tremendously-worked ‘try’ through Visser, but referee Fitzgibbon ruled it out for a forward pass from Grant to Scott, which replays showed to be highly contentious.

It did help to swing the momentum, however, as the game moved into the final quarter, and with Cardiff now 33-30 up, but still one try away from a bonus point, the message was sent on to the field that Edinburgh needed to push on again and score two more tries.

They conceded one to Jonathan Joseph, from his own chip through, which exposed a lapse in Edinburgh’s wide defence, before launching their support into a new stratosphere in a denouement that crackled and fizzed.

Laidlaw kicked Edinburgh into the Irish 22 with a penalty and ‘Heineken Man of the Match’ Talei turned it into five points, going blind after a series of charges and rucks from the initial lineout, and Laidlaw made it seven. Victory assured at 27-11 up, now it was all about a fourth try and a bonus point.

Houston almost put Jones in with five minutes left, but a defender got a finger to his pass. Two minutes later Jones did grasp it after Steve Shingler knocked-on, Talei broke off the resultant scrum and Jones finished off with a great dive into the right-hand corner. Laidlaw converted again from the touchline, for a faultless kicking display that further underlined his claims to a Six Nations place, and there was terrific jubilation around Murrayfield when Thompson kicked the ball high into the stands to bring the final whistle.

Crowds quickly huddled around TV monitors in Murrayfield to watch the dying seconds of the Cardiff match, where the Blues laid siege to the Racing line, pushing for the fourth try that would have sent Edinburgh to Leinster in the last eight, but the French defended superbly to deny them and another great roar met another final whistle.

Edinburgh have enjoyed some luck in the pool matches, but they earned every bit of their victory in this game and, backed by an ever-growing crowd, should look forward to Toulouse with confidence.

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12

buccaneer

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 06:15 PM

Just to echo all the positive messages here. It was a cracking performance yesterday and a great achievement overall. And yes, it's important that the authorities learn the lesson, and decide how to handle what we all hope will be a much larger crowd when Toulouse visit Murrayfield.

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11

Fly

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:37 PM

Got to concur with all the comments here. Fantastic for Scottish rugby. Many of the contributors here thought Bradley was the cheap option for the SRU and I could see where they were coming from. Thoughts now?? Couldn't agree more that Laidlaw should start at 10 against England. That's not just from yesterday's game but from his form all season. It's worrying though that Robinson really sees him as a 9.

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countrycousin

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 03:08 PM

That was a tremendous win yesterday. BUT so were the other 4 wins in this group. Edinburgh have played with flair and yet with great maturity and composure in this competition. Sure, we do not have the depth of players as other teams, but we do have the young players coming through. Well done to all at Edinburgh Rugby, not just the players who have been awesome, but to the back-room staff as well. The way Edinburgh have been playing, they are as good as any team left in the competition and need fear no-one. Now for the QF and doubling yesterday's attendance.

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9

abselkirk

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 01:08 PM

Let me add my congratulations as well there were 15 men of the match yesterday. Previously we have been turned over in rucks and mauls and aimlessly kicked the ball away. But yesterday there was not a single turnover and 90% or more of the times we kicked the ball it was for some purpose. Continue like that and there is no reason we can not beat Toulouse. Have to disagree with 8 in that I would have Blair in with Laidlaw at half back because they play so well together.

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8

Dave58

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 12:12 PM

Cracking game, reasonable atmosphere too! The defensive effort to keep the line intact for 8-10 mins with LI hammering away was superb, bodies were put on the line - frequently. Well done guys. It was great to see how Edingurgh outplayed and out-thought the much vaunted LI Again, Laidlaw a must for Scotland's starting XV, he managed the game very well and his he is way the best defensive 10 we have as well. He must play with Cusiter tho who has also had a great season. It was also good to see quite a few Borderers in the crowd - who says they don’t support Edinburgh?

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spoot

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:14 AM

A historic event - a Scottish team wins with Peter Fitxgibbon refereeing!

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skelpit lug

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:10 AM

Following my praise, also just a gripe to the SRU or the organisers of stadium logistics yesterday. Why wait so long before opening the top level when it was obvious after the recent Glasgow game that it was going to be needed? It virtually reached pandemonium stage along the back there and made it a very uncomfortable experience for some of the newbies I brought along. If 8000 were expected you already knew you needed the top level, but with the weather and publicity the way it was it was always going to be higher. It seemed like someone was in the control room saying: how long can we make these people suffer before opening these gates. Really unimpressed with such a basic human error of judgement and thanks to the team and Michael Bradley for changing the mood dramatically after that.

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skelpit lug

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 09:02 AM

Agree with all the mentions. Apart from the obvious ones McInally had a blinder, stepping in for Denton. Front row and back row out of this world again but huge hand for GilchristCoxLozada. I think Lee Jones has to start for Scotland against England. Having lost Thom Evans he's the man we need. Matt Scott has a huge future too. Visser was quiet apart from an expected try, I felt he could have done a lot more and wasn't physically committed enough. Victim of his own success maybe in one's expectations. Whatever, the whole squad for all 6 matches deserve massive respect for the achievement.

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4

Doc Martin

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 07:43 AM

Absolutely superb from Edinburgh.... couple of mentions. The front row were superb, especially Ford and Cross, so to was Grant and of course Talei....can we please see if he has any Scottish ancestry ;-).......... This will now be the acid test for Robinson and Townsend. They have a backline in Edinburgh that is scoring tries for fun against the best teams in Europe. Blair and Laidlaw must start at 9 and 10 for the 6N opener...... Just a wee gripe, how can Godman or Danielli be in the team but Matt Scott not?

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Blind Pew

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 07:40 AM

Also I agree with #1, if Laidlaw is not Scotland's answer at 10, albeit a short term one, then Andy Robinson needs to explain why? His obvious skills, terrier like intensity and motivational leadership are exactly what we need rather than the poodle Parks!

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Blind Pew

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 07:37 AM

Phenomenal performance, in intensity, discipline and playing damn good rugby! I feared with the late loss of Denton that it might affect the ball carrying, but McInally was immense in that regard as well as Talei and Grant was everywhere. I also loved how Edinburgh sucked LI into one game plan and then quickly changed it to keep them on their toes, with the big men faking a charge and then passing wide. The LI defence was off-side all game and how three officials cannot see that I don’t know. But never mind a great win and we have no-one to fear at home, especially against a travelling French team. Corbiserio is seen as England’s long term answer at loosehead, but on yesterday’s performance I would question that? The crowd felt bigger that 11k, I thought that it had surpassed the Glasgow game, as it felt busier.

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1

leemagee

Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:43 AM

Awesome!!!! I hope that the SRU and the Edinburgh coaching staff use this as impotus to sign a big name marquee player for next season. Making the quarters might have been enough to persuade Chris Masoe into the Glasgow team had they won a few more games in the build up to negotiations. A world class centre or fullback would be my personal choice; maybe a 12 who could pass on some knowledge to the young Scottish lads and take the pressure off Laidlaw (who surely MUST start at 10 for Scotland against England). Ma'a Nonu was looking for a contract after the Hurricanes binned him...gotta think big if we're gonna compete at the top level. Stirling Mortlock might be worth a look, or maybe Robbie Fruean or Sean Maitland from Canterbury. Who knows. This is great news though, and Toulouse are never at their best away from home. If we can't get 15,000 into Murrayfield for this game then there are a lot of people who call themselves supporters who clearly are not. Come on Edinburgh and Scotland!!!

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