Category: Heineken Cup

The Heineken Cup’s Comeback Kids

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Edinburgh Rugby 48 -47 Racing Metro ‘92

Sometimes it hurts to be proven wrong. In this instance, though, one would take the abuse. Edinburgh book-ended a fantastic handling display by Racing with some heart-stopping tries and the kind of tenacity few on these isles, particularly in the executive suites of major broadcasters, thought the capital side were capable of.

“Maybe a draw would have been fair. 50 points each?” Michael Bradley gregariously told a bewildered press pack after the game, “but we’ll take 48-47.”

Preview: Edinburgh vs. Racing Métro 92

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When Racing Metro and Edinburgh were drawn together I was over the moon. As yet, neither club has sought to engage me in some sort of well paid analytical role, asking me to spill the beans on the other, so I’ll spill the beans on both for Scottish Rugby Blog. Frankly, when the draw was made, I assumed that Edinburgh would get stuffed both home and away but a lot has changed since then and I now make Edinburgh slim favourites.

World Cup Hero Denied Day To Remember

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Sunday, Muggy Sunday. Scotland was catching its breath. An unfancied Edinburgh side had nipped into London and nicked a result over Irish, the day before, winning it after trading blows for 80 minutes. Few would have expected an unprecedented double over English sides, even if something similar happened in Italy the week before.

Glasgow keep on stringing wins together, though, and their 26-21 guerrilla victory here was an emotional one.

London Irish 19-20 Edinburgh

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Oh, what might have been.

It’s not unusual to start an Edinburgh match report with such a sentiment, but in this case the one that got away was the 4 try bonus point. Referee Roman Poite twice went upstairs to the TMO for tries that on other days we’ve all seen given (usually against Scottish teams) and came back with a no try ruling, thus making this game a lot closer than it really had any right to be.

Turmoil In The Euro Zone

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When the first European weekend comes around it normally serves as the perfect time to kick back and forget it all. Those lovely, fluffy ERC guys even delayed the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup by a few weeks so that World Cup heroes were well rested and ready to reaffirm themselves as fan favourites. We should all be able to throw our cares away, partake in the oncoming feast of Northern Hemisphere rugby and thank our sporting stars for giving us the joys of Union…

Of course forgetting about it all is easier said than done.

Edinburgh & Glasgow Heineken Cup Pre-Christmas Fixtures

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In which Rory takes a look at the opening weeks of next season’s Heineken Cup fixtures. With Sean Lineen looking to prove his underperforming squad has not been destroyed by further departures, and Michael Bradley looking to make an instant impact at the helm of Edinburgh, it should make an interesting return to high intensity rugby following all the World Cup madness.

A Good Weekend on the Wing

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Despite my earlier piece on this weekend’s rugby being of little interest to Scottish fans, the Gods of Rugby have seen fit to water my fire by serving up several good performances, including Glasgow’s first away win of the season and some good play from Edinburgh’s centres for the try in their losing performance against Dan Parks and Cardiff. Most heartening though, was the try count from Scotland’s senior squad backs who obviously felt this a last chance to put a marker down for the Six Nations. Nikki Walker, Simon Danielli and Rory Lamont all crossed for five-pointers but the performance of the weekend was surely Saints’ Man of the Match Joe Ansbro, who scored one try and created another for Northampton as they topped the qualification table for the Heineken Cup. Joe’s runs displayed power, awareness and good hands – all qualities that should see him well placed when the Scotland squad comes together shortly.