Edinburgh's forgotten pair help Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe flourish in atmospheric Brittany
A potentially hazardous trip to Brittany was negotiated satisfactorily by Edinburgh who defeated Vannes and also reintegrated two experienced players who have barely featured all season.
James Lang and Ben Healy have been on the outside looking in but both played their part in the 29-25 Challenge Cup win at Stade de la Rabine.
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Hide AdLang, sidelined by quad and calf injuries, was making his first start of the season while Healy was returning to the run-on XV for the first time since the hammering by the Lions in South Africa in October.


The stand-off was off target with a couple of early kicks at goal but settled quickly and helped get the Edinburgh attack motoring during a first half in which Darcy Graham and Duhan van der Merwe saw a lot more of the ball than has been the case for much of this season. Graham in particular looked a threat and played a key role in Ali Price’s two tries.
Lang, playing in the centre, dovetailed nicely with Matt Currie and the pair were also instrumental as the Edinburgh backline clicked into gear. Wes Goosen got the ball rolling with an early try before Price’s double but Vannes stayed in touch with tries from Joe Edwards and Robin Taccola and the visitors’ half-time lead was slender at 19-17.
Jules Le Bail’s second penalty of the match nudged Vannes ahead for the first time early in the second half before a try by van der Merwe, converted by substitute Ross Thompson, put Edinburgh back in the driving seat. Tani Vili scored a third try for Vannes but they couldn’t convert and Thompson added a late penalty to seal it for Edinburgh.
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Hide AdThe win means Sean Everitt’s side are two points clear at the top of Pool 3 going into the final round of group games, with Edinburgh scheduled to host Richard Cockerill’s Black Lion on Sunday.
A top-two finish guarantees a home tie in the round of 16 - third place might even be enough. The bigger picture is that the result in France gave Edinburgh their first away win for over eight months.
No-one should get too carried away, of course. Vannes are no-one’s idea of European heavyweights. This is their first season in the top flight and they are currently bottom of the Top 14, seven points adrift. Nevertheless, they have beaten La Rochelle and ran league leaders Bordeaux close and their atmospheric ground, which was sold out on Saturday, is a welcome addition to the Challenge Cup.
“Vannes has a population of about 50,000 and there were 11,000 people there,” said Lang. “They love rugby and it’s a great place to play, you could really feel the atmosphere. It was our job to try and silence the crowd. We didn’t do that a whole lot, but it was a great experience to go out there and play.”
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Hide AdThe visitors were even treated to a rendition of Flower of Scotland before kick-off as well as a rousing performance of Bro Gozh Ma Zadoù – “Old Land of my Fathers”, the Brittany anthem which shares both tune and title with the Welsh original.
The only sour note for Edinburgh was an ankle injury to their No 8, Ben Muncaster, who had to come off early and left the ground in a protective boot.
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.
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Hide AdEdinburgh: 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).
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