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Tim Visser on the attack for Edinburgh Rugby in the Heineken Cup
Edinburgh Rugby have nothing to play for but pride when they line-up at Stade Yves Du Manoir for the first game in the double-header against Racing Metro 92 after a hugely disappointing Heineken Cup campaign.
The Scottish side, who won many admirers and reached the semi-finals of last season’s tournament before they were beaten by Ulster, have not even managed a try in their Pool – despite having the exciting Tim Visser on the wing.
The Scots are the only team to have failed to record a single point in this year’s tournament after two games.
Edinburgh have managed to stage a mini-revival in the Pro12 and will be looking to put behind them the agony of Scotland’s current plight in the Test arena after the resignation of national coach Andy Robinson.
Paris-based Racing Metro 92 have slim hopes of reaching this season’s quarter-finals but if they do have such ambitions they have to put their Scottish visitors to the sword in emphatic fashion.
Match Facts
• Edinburgh are the only team yet to register a point in this year’s tournament.
• Edinburgh have lost 11 lineouts on their own throw so far this season and have a success rate of just 68%, the worst figures in the tournament.
• Racing Metro’s 7.5 penalties conceded per game is a tournament low this season.
• Racing Metro are one of four teams to have won all of their scrums at their own put in so far this term.
Résumé vidéo: Racing Metro v London Irish:: Regardez les plus belles actions
Racing Metro ensured Pool 1 remains a three-horse race as they secured a 19-9 victory over Edinburgh at Stade Yves du Manoir.
A first-half try from Argentina wing Juan Imoff and a second-half score from replacement prop Ben Arous proved the ultimate difference as Racing moved to within two points of Saracens and Munster at the top of the group.
Edinburgh stay bottom of Pool 1, with no points to their name, but they restored some pride with a committed performance and were unfortunate not to pick up a losing bonus in France.
Having reached the semi-finals of Europe’s premier club competition eight months ago, Edinburgh had failed to score a single point in 160 minutes of Heineken Cup rugby this season but it took them just two minutes to opened their account in Paris as Greig Laidlaw slotted an early penalty.
Edinburgh dominated the early exchanges but Olly Barkley leveled affairs with his first strike on 10 minutes.
The visitors wasted two quick-fire scoring chances that would have handed them a 9-3 lead as the usually reliable Laidlaw sent successive penalties wide of the sticks in the space of 60 seconds as the game hit 13 minutes.
And Racing punished their Scottish rivals for their lack of killer instinct with the game’s opening try after 20 minutes. A fine pick up from second row Fabrice Metz set Racing on their way, with Barkley, Guillaume Bousses and Juan Martin Hernandez allowing Imhoff the space to step inside Tom Brown wide on the left.
Former Bath and England playmaker Barkley was off target with the difficult extras but Racing were 8-3 to the good to take the shine off Edinburgh’s positive opening.
Racing came close to a second try through a driving maul on 26 minutes but the Scottish defence held firm, although another Barkley penalty pushed the hosts two scores clear at 11-3 on the half hour.
Laidlaw followed up another miss with a successful strike in the last play of the half and his side were well in the game in the opening 20 minutes of the second period as they again began brightly.
But a pushover try from Arous as the match hit the hour mark made life a little more comfortable for Racing, although Barkley’s failed conversion attempt and a 65th minute penalty from Laidlaw did bring Edinburgh back to within bonus-point range at 16-9.
Racing had the last laugh, though, as Maxime Machenaud put the result beyond doubt and ensured Edinburgh headed home empty handed as he sent over a penalty with just two minutes left on the clock.
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