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Edinburgh Rugby head coach Alan Solomons has reacted to last weekend's "flat performance" at home against Gloucester by freshening up his side for the vital return Heineken Cup Pool 6 trip to Kingsholm. - 14/12/2013 11:13
Edinburgh Rugby head coach Alan Solomons has reacted to last weekend’s “flat performance” at home against Gloucester by freshening up his side for the vital return Heineken Cup Pool 6 trip to Kingsholm.
While Scottish hooker Ross Ford returns to lead the team, the international quartet of Greig Laidlaw, Nick de Luca, David Denton and Alasdair Dickinson step down, while flanker Ross Rennie is also rested.
Edinburgh face a tough period of four games in 17 days and, with last weekend’s home 23-12 home defeat leaving them anchored to the bottom of the table, they are obviously looking for fresh legs to give them the chance of kick-starting their festive season.
But with only three wins in 15 Heineken Cup games on English soil they will start as the underdogs against a Gloucester team who have recovered from their defeat to Munster to thrust themselves back into the mix for a first quarter-final since 2008.
Ironically, it was Munster who beat them at Kingsholm in their last visit to the Heineken Cup knock-out stages and it will be the Irishmen who will be the next visitors to Kinghsolm in the new year in Round 5.
These two successive home games will determine whether or not Nigel Davies’ side have the ability to mix it with Europe’s rugby elite and five points this weekend will be high on the agenda as they seek to close the two point lead that Munster currently hold over their English rivals at the top of the Pool.
“To go to Edinburgh and get a result was very significant in the context of our season. It's a very difficult place to go, and they had already taken the scalp of Munster there, so it was a game they expected to win,” said Davies.
“We played some good rugby and it was one of our most comfortable wins for a while. They're a very competent side, and they'll no doubt use the disappointment of last weekend to come down here, put in a big performance and get a result back.”
Welsh international scrum half Tavis Knoyle is the only change in the starting line-up, taking over from All Black Jimmy Cowan, and England wing Charlie Sharples and Tongan prop Sila Puafisi come onto the replacements bench.
Match Facts
- Gloucester have won all three of their Heineken Cup clashes with Edinburgh by an aggregate scoreline of 92-48.
- At home, Gloucester have won six of their last seven games in the Heineken Cup.
- Edinburgh have lost nine of their last 10 Heineken Cup games, only picking up a victory at home to Munster.
- Away from home, Edinburgh have won just twice in their last 16 Heineken Cup games.
Edinburgh did PRO12 colleagues Munster a huge favour as they reversed their home defeat to Gloucester to leave the Irishmen sitting pretty five points clear at the top of Pool 6. - 15/12/2013 17:03
Edinburgh did PRO12 colleagues Munster a huge favour as they reversed their home defeat to Gloucester to leave the Irishmen sitting pretty five points clear at the top of Pool 6.
Alan Solomons freshened up his side from the 23-12 defeat at Murrayfield a week earlier and his new look team surprised the home side with the tenacity of their defence, control at the breakdown and patience with ball in hand.
By the end they were good value for what was only their fourth win in 16 Heineken Cup games on English soil. The victory also ended a run of five successive defeats in Europe for the Scottish capital club.
A tight first half saw Edinburgh twice take the lead through the boot of full back Jack Cuthbert. He kicked two opening penalties to open up a six point lead before Gloucester finally got on the scoreboard after 35 minutes.
Edinburgh conceded a penalty near half-way and Freddie Burns hammered the ball down into their 22. The line-out was secured and the driving maul went like a runaway express train to the line, where French referee Romain Poite ordered a penalty try for collapsing.
Burns added the conversion to make it 7-6, but on the stroke of half-time Cuthbert stroked home a third penalty to edge Edinburgh’s noses back in front. Burns regained the lead with a penalty five minutes into the second half, but the decisive score came eight minutes later.
Edinburgh worked the ball through the phases and deep into the home 22 before launching Kiwi centre Ben Atiga at the line for a match winning try. Cuthbert added the conversion to take his match tally to 11 points and the remained of the game was about containing Gloucester.
On a greasy surface, and with some superb defence, the Scottish side were able to do that with something to spare. They lost prop Willem Nel to the sin bin for a scrum offence, but still held their line firm, and then had the luxury of playing against 14 men themselves for the final eight minutes when England No 8 Ben Morgan also saw yellow.
Edinburgh move into third place in the pool on eight points, while Gloucester’s only consolation was a losing bonus point. They now have to prepare to face the pool leaders Munster at Kingsholm in the new year for a must win game.
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