EDINBURGH KNOCKED OUT OF CHALLENGE CUP

Edinburgh’s EPCR Challenge Cup adventure came to a heart-breaking close, with Wasps edging out the capital club in a dramatic quarter-final game.
The Edinburgh men have done the city proud throughout the Challenge Cup campaign, and this afternoon was no different, with the home club leaving everything on the field in front of a packed-out DAM Health Stadium.

Wasps rocked up in Edinburgh in physical mood, setting the tone for a see-saw game with a powerful scrum to give Jimmy Gopperth an easy penalty to take the lead.

Edinburgh burst into life after 10 minute, with Ben Vellacott finishing a spectacular score for the hosts. Chris Dean got his hands free in the tackle to release Luke Crosbie, who released Boffelli into space. The Argentine twisted and turned, before giving Vellacott the simple task of finishing against his former club.

The visitors hit back immediately, with Jimmy Gopperth dancing out of a tackle to score under the posts. The breathless half continued, with the impressive McBurney burrowing over the line after the pack had set a perfect maul on its way to the line to give Edinburgh a slender half time lead.
Wasps roared into the second half, with Biyi Alo burrowing over to level the scores once more. The visitors’ props both found themselves on the scoresheet, with West also managing to score from close range.

Edinburgh regularly showed grit to keep out the onrushing Wasps attackers, and then turned up the pressure themselves to regain parity. The influential Dean again managed to offload in a tight space, this time to the on-rushing Bradbury to power over the line.

Emiliano Boffelli slotted a long-range penalty to give Edinburgh what looked to be a match winning lead, however Wasps hit back through Alfie Barbeary, thundering over at the back of a maul.

Edinburgh threw everything to get the semi-final, but couldn’t break through the Wasps resolve.

The Edinburgh men can hold their heads high, having inspired the city, battling all the way to represent the capital.