Captain Greig Laidlaw today hailed Edinburgh Rugby’s double record-breaking support after the club charged into the last eight of the Heineken Cup at Murrayfield last night.
An impeccable kicking display from the steely-nerved Borderer recorded 14 of the club’s 34-points in the historic win over London Irish (34-11).
That victory saw Edinburgh top the group and secure a home quarter-final against four-time champions, Toulouse, at Murrayfield on Easter weekend (6/7/8 April).
The drama played out in front of a Scottish Heineken Cup record crowd of 10,892. The club also hold the Scottish record for the RaboDirect PRO12 after more than 13 thousand (13,246) turned out at Murrayfield for the inter-city derby against Glasgow Warriors last month.
Laidlaw said: “It’s a tremendous personal achievement for the players and coaches to secure a home quarter-final and we’re delighted to be able to repay the support of the fans who have been right there with us throughout the group stages at some incredible matches.
“Last night’s game was the perfect example of the fans playing their part in another great win. We all knew that, no matter what, we needed that fourth try to get the bonus point and the noise they created as we piled on the pressure was awesome.
“It’s fantastic to make it this far but we’re not finished yet. There’s a lot of belief and talent in this young team and we’re determined to go further than any Scottish team has before and book a place in the semis in front of another record-breaking crowd.”
Edinburgh Rugby’s quarter-final tie with Toulouse is a rematch of the club’s last and only other foray into the knockout stages of the competition in 2004 and takes place on Easter weekend (6, 7, 8 April), with the date and kick-off time to confirmed by tournament organiser ERC later this week.
Tickets for the first ever Heineken Cup quarter-final to take place on Scottish soil went on sale immediately after last night’s game with supporters welcoming the return of the advance purchase adult ticket of £15 and the half-price student ticket (£5) which saw close to 1500 of the budding scholars head to Murrayfield last night.
HEINEKEN CUP QUARTER-FINALS (weekend of 6/7/8 April)
Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby
Leinster Rugby v Cardiff Blues
Edinburgh Rugby v Toulouse
Saracens v ASM Clermont Auvergne
HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINALS (28/29 April)
Semi-final 1: Saracens or ASM Clermont Auvergne V Leinster Rugby or Cardiff Blues
Semi-final 2: Munster Rugby or Ulster Rugby V Edinburgh Rugby or Toulouse