Edinburgh's bonus point win in Vannes puts them in driving seat in Challenge Cup

Edinburgh dug in to claim a precious away win over Vannes in the Challenge Cup and move to the top of Pool 3 ahead of the final round of group fixtures.

Sean Everitt’s side hadn’t won on the road since April last year so this was an important victory and they also secured a bonus point thanks to tries from Wes Goosen, Ali Price (two) and Duhan van der Merwe.

The 29-25 win means they are two points clear at the summit going into next Sunday’s home match with the Georgian side, Black Lion. Another win would see them win the group and guarantee themselves a home tie in the last 16 of Europe’s second-tier competition.

Edinburgh's Ali Price scored two first-half tries in the 29-25 win over Vannes in France. | SNS Group

Vannes are bottom of the Top 14 but they made life difficult for the visitors at a sold-out and noisy Stade de la Rabine in Brittany. While Edinburgh took the game to the hosts and impressed on the counter-attack, Vannes got their noses in front early in the second half. But a try from van der Merwe after a clever cross-kick from Ross Thompson restored Edinburgh’s lead going into the final quarter and they managed to weather a late storm.

“It was a tough game but I'm just glad we were able to pull through,” said Sean Everitt, the Edinburgh coach.

His side made a bright start and the first try wasn’t long in coming. Vannes struggled to deal with a chip through and when they tried to run it from behind their own line they were caught and the ball was turned over. Edinburgh got it out to Goosen to score. Ben Healy, who had missed an early penalty, fluffed the conversion attempt.

Jules Le Bail, the Vannes scrum-half, reduced the arrears with a penalty but Edinburgh moved further ahead when Price scored the first of his two tries. The Scots ran it from their own half, with Matt Currie playing in Darcy Graham who galloped through before passing inside for the supporting Price to finish. Healy made no mistake this time, landing a tough conversion from out wide.

Vannes struck back just after the mid-point of the first half with a try from their No 8, Joe Edwards. Referee Federico Vedovelli’s on-field decision was no try but after a TMO check, the Italian official decided the ball had been grounded. Le Bail’s conversion cut Edinburgh’s lead to 12-10.

The visitors were looking good in attack and again found their way round the Vannes rush defence as Healy, James Lang and Graham worked it out to Price who finished off with aplomb. Healy’s conversion made it 19-10.

Vannes came again, their forwards turning the screw, and they had penalty advantage when the ball was spun wide to centre Robin Taccola to score. Le Bail added the extras.

Six minutes of the second half had elapsed when a penalty from Le Bail moved the hosts ahead for the first time in the match. It was turning into a real test of character for Edinburgh and there was frustration for Graham when he broke loose in a promising position only to lose the ball in contact.

Thompson replaced Healy at 10 and produced a match-defining moment, firing a cross-kick to van der Merwe who fielded it and ran in the try to move Edinburgh ahead again. Thompson’s conversion made it 26-20 but Vannes came back strongly, replacement forward Tani Vili breaking through a Graham tackle to score. Fortunately for Edinburgh, Le Bail had gone off and Jean Cotarmanac'h proved less capable in front of the posts, missing the conversion. It meant Edinburgh had a precious one-point lead going into the final 15 minutes and it was extended by a Thompson penalty after Vannes had been penalised at the scrum.

Edinburgh were under the cosh but defended well in the final minutes.

Scorers: RC Vannes: Tries: Edwards, Taccola, Vili. Cons: Le Bail 2. Pens: Le Bail 2. Edinburgh: Tries: Goosen, Price 2, van der Merwe. Cons: Healy 2, Thompson. Pens: Thompson.

RC Vannes: G Duplenne; S Rayasi (I Ayarza 66), R Taccola, F Saili (T Vili 59), F Nakosi; J Cotarmanac'h, J Le Bail (S Varney 62); T Moukoro (H Djehi 62), T Beziat (P Leafa 66), P Tafili (S Bourgeois 51), C van der Merwe (J Parete 51), T Mezou (M Desjeux 62-69), L Boulier, M Uhila, J Edwards.

Edinburgh: W Goosen; D Graham, M Currie, J Lang (M Tuipulotu 66), D van der Merwe; B Healy (R Thompson 58), A Price (C Shiel 66); P Schoeman (B Venter 50), 2. Dave Cherry (P Harrison 56), J Sebastian (D Rae 50), M Sykes, 5. Sam Skinner (H Watson 66), J Ritchie (H Watson 33-41), L Crosbie, B Muncaster (G Young 38).

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy).