GUNNERS TOO GOOD TOULOUSE
7 December 2003 - Edinburgh Rugby; 23 Toulouse: 16
Sometimes you just have to accept that the other guys were better than you. It's time to go home, work out what went wrong, and sort it out for next time. But who outside the nation's capital would have predicted that it would be Toulouse who would be licking their wounds this afternoon after losing to inspired Edinburgh?
This column does not want to make a habit of quoting Margaret Thatcher, but the only possible reaction to this Gunners victory is "Rejoice! Rejoice!" If this result and this performance don't do anything for you, then maybe you should be watching what the Ed believes is known as "association football" instead.
Toulouse are the "Real Madrid of European rugby" said Frank Hadden before last year's clash with the Frenchmen, who went on to become European champions. Anyone who doubts the truth of that statement should travel to the south of France with the Gunners at the end of January for the return trip to see the best team, experience the best atmosphere, and enjoy the best stadium in European club rugby. A game against Toulouse is international class, on and off the field.
Let's not muck about. This was the best result for any Scottish side for years; it was right up there with the national team's win over the Springboks last autumn. While in last year's European confrontations with les Toulousains, the Gunners did well to keep the losing margins respectable, this term they believe they can win. Toulouse may have Michalak, N'Tamack, and Pelous. But Edinburgh have Blackadder, Paterson, Blair, Murray, and the mighty Chunky.
There was perhaps a hint of something special in the air after the Gunners took an age to emerge from the dressing room before kick-off, making Toulouse wait in the chilly Edinburgh afternoon. Shades of the 1990 Grand Slam decider at Murrayfield, perhaps. But it was the European champions who were first on the board with an Elissade penalty on two minutes. They made a purposeful start, and added to their lead three minutes later with a penalty for Craig Smith allegedly taking the scrum down, Baby goaling from long range. Whatever else one might have said about him, the referee could not have been accused of being a homer.
Laney pulled back a penalty on twelve minutes to take the score to 3-6. Although their scrummage was under some pressure, the Gunners were beginning to make their presence felt, and Smith was almost put away on the overlap shortly afterwards after a number of phases. Webster snuffed out a dangerous Toulouse counter with an excellent openfield tackle. The winger then fielded an aimless Toulouse kick in the Edinburgh 22 and set off on a characteristically powerful run, stopped only on the Toulouse 22.
The second quarter saw the Gunners mount a series of dangerous attacks, with Hall coming close after excellent linking play by Smith and Di Rollo. They were becoming increasingly dominant - yes, dominant - yet were not able to break through the tough visiting defence. A Paterson penalty on 35 minutes levelled the score, after some fairly robust Toulouse attention had been paid to Gunners dangerman Laney. But Toulouse struck what, last year, would have been a hammer blow with a well-worked Jauzion try after a fine break by World Cup star Michalak. Elissade's conversion gave Toulouse a 13-6 half-time lead which, though perhaps undeserved, illustrated how good a team they are. They had weathered the Edinburgh pressure and were all set to cut loose in the second-half.
But no-one had told Edinburgh that. Simon Cross said afterwards that the Gunners had been "disappointed to go in down at half-time. We knew we could take them." And the Gunners exploded off the blocks after the break, with first Lee, then Webster coming close. Irritatingly, a clever quick lineout by Edinburgh looked to have put Lee away, only for the referee, who struggled with the setting sun, to fail to spot the move. No matter. As the Gunners turned the screw, first Webster then Jacobsen were held up just short by desperate Toulouse defence, only for the ball to be spun wide, a maul to form, and "Wagga" Hines to burrow over in the corner for his first try of the season. Shortly after, a terrific burst by Smith off the back of a lineout almost led to a try for the big prop. The ball was again spun left from the breakdown and Scott Murray ploughed over for a try. Laney converted to take the score to 18-13 Gunners with half an hour to go.
The lead spurred the Gunners on, and they were rampant for the following fifteen minutes, with Joiner and Webster making dangerous breaks. The momentum was lost, though, when Webster took a nasty blow to the back of the head chasing a Garryowen. Worryingly, the winger was on the floor for around five minutes before being substituted to rousing applause from a home crowd that has taken the balding speedster to their hearts.
Elissade converted a penalty on 70 minutes to cut the Gunners lead to two points. This was closely followed by an heroic Joiner save on the Edinburgh 5 as Toulouse threw everything at the home team. It's at times like these that Edinburgh folk start looking for Brendan Laney to make something out-of-the-ordinary happen. Edinburgh were sensibly keeping Toulouse in their own half with some solid defending, then a Paterson break fed Laney in space outside the enemy 22. Despite having two men on his shoulder, he pinned back his ears and sped towards the line. The pacey visiting defence couldn't get to him and, with a celebratory hitch kick, the old rascal was over in the corner.
Edinburgh held out until the final whistle and as man of the match Simon Taylor said afterwards "we scored three tries against the European champions. They scored one. You can't argue with that." To round off a happy day for all concerned, the Ed's prudent investment on Edinburgh to win paid out handsomely at 4-1. The editorial tenner will be reinvested on an Edinburgh win in Swansea next week, proceeds to go to the Sick Kids.
This was only Edinburgh's first game of the tournament, and winning in Toulouse will be a tall order indeed. So the Gunners must prevail in at least three of their four games against the Ospreys and Leeds if they are to qualify for the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup for the first time. That would be a significant achievement in itself and they will need to remain focussed to do so. But they are off to the best possible start.
MAN OF THE MATCH:
SIIMON TAYLOR, while TODD BLACKADDER picked up the Supporters Club prize, with Craig Smith coming a close second..
Next up in the Heineken are the Neath-Swansea Ospreys, at St Helens, Swansea on the evening of Friday 12 December. Even at this early stage in proceedings, this game could well decide whether the Gunners qualify for the quarter-finals. The players always say how important the backing of away fans is to them, so your support might make the difference. If you'd like to go, get in touch with Ann at Edinburgh Rugby on 0131 346 5252 or edinburghrugby@sru.org.uk
Read Bill Lothian's verdict in the Evening News: http://www.sport.scotsman.com/rugby_superteams.cfm
Scorers: Edinburgh: Laney 1T 1P 1C, Murray 1T, Hines 1T, Paterson 1P
Toulouse Elissade 2P 1C, Baby 1P, Jauzion 1T
Edinburgh team: Lee; Webster, Di Rollo, Laney, Joiner; Paterson, Blair; Jacobsen, Hall, Smith, Murray, Hines, Blackadder (Capt), Cross, Taylor Replacements: Kelly, Mathieson, kellock, Hogg, Dall, Burns, Southwell