Edinburgh eyeing another European upset against La Rochelle

Published 30th Mar 2017

Edinburgh Rugby coach Duncan Hodge has warned French league leaders La Rochelle that his side are confident of creating another European upset.

The Scots have won their last 11 European games at BT Murrayfield and will reach the European Challenge Cup semi-finals if they extend that sequence on Friday night.

Six Top 14 teams have been victims during that run - Stade Francais, Grenoble, Agen, Lyon, Bordeaux and Perpignan - and Hodge believes Edinburgh can claim another big name if they maintain the form that saw them win their group.

The acting head coach said: Games don't come much bigger than a European quarter-final and there is no more thrilling an occasion than knockout rugby, so there's a real feeling of excitement in camp.

We've taken some big scalps in this year's competition and we're confident in our ability to take another.

We've played some exceptional rugby to finish top of a tough Challenge Cup pool and we'll look to carry that form into the knockout stages.

La Rochelle come to BT Murrayfield sitting at the top of the French league but this is a different competition and the first meeting of the clubs, so we're looking forward to taking them on.''

Hodge has made four changes to his side with Grant Gilchrist and Hamish Watson coming back in and Jason Tovey replacing Duncan Weir at stand-off. Allan Dell drops out through concussion with Murray McCallum starting at loosehead prop.