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Edinburgh will play their 100th Heineken Cup tie against Gloucester at Murrayfield on Sunday. - 07/12/2013 18:45
Edinburgh will play their 100th Heineken Cup tie against Gloucester at Murrayfield on Sunday.
And the Scottish outfit will aim to celebrate reaching the historic milestone game with an all-important Pool Six victory. They have won 35, lost 61 and drawn three of their previous fixtures in this competition.
Alan Solomons’ Edinburgh warmed up for their European century with a morale-boosting 43-10 win over Connacht in the Pro 12 last weekend. This is the third Heineken Cup meeting between the sides yet visitors Gloucester will by buoyed by the fact they have emerged victorious in the previous two Anglo-Scottish contests seven years ago.
Nigel Davies’ men are rooted to the bottom of Pool Six with their opponents above them on points difference. Yet this group, where all four teams have won and lost a game apiece, is wide open as both Edinburgh and Gloucester are only two points behind leaders Perpignan and one adrift of Munster in second place. So whoever comes out on top in these head-to-head battles this month could determine their qualification fate.
Edinburgh toppled Munster in their opening home fixture and will aim to repeat the feat against the Cherry and Whites, who have been struggling in their domestic league. The 22-17 home loss to Leicester Tigers was the fifth successive defeat in a row – and a seventh in just nine Premiership games.
Four of those have come at Kingsholm so Gloucester may be glad to travel away from home on Sunday. But England wing James Simpson-Daniel has been ruled out following an operation on his left ankle.
Edinburgh have also suffered a blow as stand-off Piers Francis could be out for the rest of the season. Francis suffered ankle damage on the opening day of the season and, although a December return date was hopeful, the worst case scenario could happen.
Match Facts
- Gloucester have won both of their previous Heineken Cup clashes with Edinburgh during the 2006/07 pool stage.
- Of their last 10 matches against English clubs, Edinburgh have won three and lost seven.
- Gloucester have won three of four matches against Scottish sides in total.
- Edinburgh conceded just six penalties/free-kicks in the first two rounds of this season’s Heineken Cup – a competition low figure.
Gloucester Rugby kept their knock-out stage qualification hopes alive at Murrayfield - and proved massive party-poopers in the process. - 08/12/2013 15:19
Gloucester Rugby kept their knock-out stage qualification hopes alive at Murrayfield – and proved massive party-poopers in the process.
Edinburgh Rugby’s hopes of ending their 100th tournament contest with centenary celebrations got off to a flying start with a try from full back Greig Tonks after just six minutes but it was Gloucester who ended up taking the four points to leave the Scottish club with just one win at the halfway stage and bottom of Pool 6.
Gloucester, who beat Perpignan in Round 1, shot up to second place in the group with this three-try 23-12 win that left Edinburgh stuck on a total of 35 tournament wins and facing a mountain to climb in their final three Pool matches – starting in the quick-fire return at Kingsholm on Sunday.
After Tonks’ stunning opener Nigel Davies’ men started repairing the early damage from a scrum, Henry Trinder sending a little kick in behind the cover and full back Rob Cook touching down to level matters..
Gloucester upped the tempo visibly after that shaky start Freddie Burns kicked them into a lead they never surrendered with a well-struck penalty.
Gloucester were rewarded for a lengthy spell of pressure in the 18th minute with right wing Martyn Thomas crossing after tremendous creativity from Rob Cook and Billy Twelvetrees’ conversion put them in the driving seat at 15-5.
Burns was off target with a drop goal attempt but made no mistake with a penalty opportunity three minutes later to open up a 13-points advantage by the break.
And there was more pain for Edinburgh when Thomas opened the second half scoring with his second and Gloucester’s third try courtesy of some dazzling running by fellow wing Jonny May – later named Heineken Man-of-the-Match.
However, Edinburgh reminded the visitors that they were still a threat as No 8 David Denton burrowed over after some stellar play by the home pack, Greig Laidlaw’s conversion making it 23-12 after almost an hour of action.
But there was 10 minutes out of the action in the sin bin for Gloucester lock James Hudson after referee Jerome Garces showed him the yellow card, the Premiership club surviving any additional punishment on the scoreboard in his absence but falling short of the try bonus point that leaves them trailing Munster in the group by two points.
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