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Edinburgh overcame FC Grenoble 28-10 in their European Challenge Cup opener at Murrayfield on Friday night
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The Scots held a convincing 11-0 lead at half-time following a try from Cornell Du Preez and two penalties from Sam Hidalgo-Clyne
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Du Preez touched down his second score with two minutes to go to ensure the win for Edinburgh
BY STEVEN SMITH
Edinburgh began life without David Denton, who left the club during the week to join Bath, with a convincing 28-10 win against FC Grenoble in their opening match of the European Challenge Cup at Murrayfield on Friday.
It took just five minutes for the hosts to get in front as their scrum from out wide powered forward before number 8 Cornell Du Preez slipped off the back to force the ball down, 5-0.
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne failed with the tough touchline conversion but slotted a pair of penalties afterwards to give the hosts an imposing 11-point lead at the break.
Another penalty from Hidalgo-Clyne four minutes after the restart edged Edinburgh even further in front before Grenoble’s scrum-half James Hart got them on the board via the tee, 14-3.
Edinburgh, who were in control for most the game, were then awarded their second score when the referee gave a penalty try on the hour. The French visitors simply could not stand the pressure of the Scots’ scrum on their own five-metre line and were rightly penalised. Hidalgo-Clyne converted to increase Edinburgh’s lead to 18 points.
The visitors though still had life in them and touched down their opening try of the game through Daniel Kilioni with ten minutes to go. The winger intercepted Matthew Scott’s pass before diving over the whitewash for the score with Gilles Bosch adding the extras, 21-10.
Du Preez though crossed for his second try after 78 minutes to put the result beyond doubt for Edinburgh with Greig Tonks converting to complete the games scoring and ended the hosts torrid run of three straight defeats.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Edinburgh: Cornell Du Preez
The strong running back-row put in an energetic performance, which saw him touch down two great tries as well as being an authoritative leader of the hosts powerful scrum.
Edinburgh: 15 Dougie Fife, 14 Damien Hoyland, 13 William Helu, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Tom Brown, 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; 1 Alasdair Dickinson, 2 Ross Ford, 3 WP Nel, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Alex Toolis, 6 Mike Coman (c), 7 John Hardie, 8 Cornell Du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Neil Cochrane, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 John Andress, 19 Nasi Manu, 20 Hamish Watson, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Chris Dean.
Grenoble: 15 Clement Gelin, 14 Tino Nemani, 13 Chris Farrell, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 Daniel Kilioni, 10 Gilles Bosch, 9 James Hart (c); 1 Fabien Barcella, 2 Loick Jammes, 3 Kevin Goze, 4 James Percival, 5 Mathias Marie, 6 Mahamadou Diaby, 7 Fabien Alexandre, 8 Dylan Hayes.
Replacements: 16 Arnaud Heguy, 17 Sona Taumalolo, 18 Walter Desmaison, 19 Ben Hand, 20 Steven Setephano, 21 Christophe Loustalot, 22 Xavier Mignot, 23 Lucas Dupont.