Sam Hidalgo-Clyne

Edinburgh clinched a place in the European Challenge Cup Final in emphatic style at BT Murrayfield to make history as the 1st Scottish side to reach a European final.

The Scottish capital side stormed to their largest victory in Europe with a rousing 45 / 16 triumph over Newport Gwent Dragons with scrumhalf Sam Hidalgo-Clyne helping himself to another record 25 points. Now they go on to face either Gloucester or Exeter Chiefs at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday 1 May.

Hidalgo-Clyne once again proved their star-turn with a try in his club record 25-point haul that took his tally in Europe this season to 91 points. That makes him the highest scorer in the tournament.

Back row man Stuart McInally and wing Tim Visser both crossed for tries in the 1st half as the home side reached halftime with a 21 / 9 lead. But the boot of Dragons outside half Dorian Jones, and a try from prop Brok Harris just after the re-start, kept the Welsh region in touch at 21 / 16 early in the 2nd half.

But Heineken Man of the Match, Ben Toolis, who ruled the roost at the line-out, Hidalgo-Clyne and Douge Fife all went over as Edinburgh scored 24 unanswered points in a storming 2nd-half display. In contrast it was a sorry end for the Dragons who fell at the semi-final stage of this tournament for a 2nd time.

Blow by blow scoring:

They made a bright start through Jones’ early penalty but the home pack dominated the rest of the half as their power scrum made life very uncomfortable for the visitors. Hidalgo-Clyne levelled when Wales No 8 Taulupe Faletau was binned for dragging down an Edinburgh driving line-out.

McInally made the extra man count when he stormed through 2 defenders to put Edinburgh ahead for the 1st time. Jones clawed back 3 points with a penalty but Edinburgh claimed a 2nd try just moments later.

Hidalgo-Clyne was the architect, the scrumhalf’s break taking Edinburgh to within firing range before his clever reverse pass set Visser clear to claim his 15^th European try. The scrumhalf’s conversion hit the upright to ruin a run of 15 successive kicks.

Again Jones briefly kept the Dragons in touch at 15 / 9 with a long-range penalty but Hidalgo-Clyne kicked a brace to open a 21 / 9 lead at halftime.

Then Harris crashed over from close range and Jones’ conversion hinted at a Welsh comeback at the start of the 2nd half.

But Jonathan Evans became the 2nd Dragon to be sin-binned for infringing as Edinburgh threatened and again the home side made them pay. Toolis charged down Jason Tovey’s clearance to score a try, which Hidalgo-Clyne converted.  Then Hidalgo-Clyne exploited the empty-space left by his opposite number as he sat in the sin bin to deliver a knock-out blow with a brilliant 30 metre break for a try at the posts which he once again converted. Fife hammered home the final nail in the Dragons’ coffin as he finished a wonderful break by Sam Beard to put the icing on a thrilling win.

Scorers:

Edinburgh:

• Penalties: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (4)
• Tries: Stuart McInally (1), Tim Visser (1), Ben Toolis (1), Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (1), Dougie Fife (1)
  
• Conversions: Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (4)
  

Newport Gwent Dragons:

• Penalties: Dorian Jones (3)
• Tries: Brok Harris (1)
• Conversions: Dorian Jones (1)

Man of the match Ben Toolis

epcrugby