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Edinburgh and Ulster out of Challenge Cup following quarter-final defeats

By PA
General views during the EPCR Challenge Cup, Quarter Final match between Cell C Sharks and Edinburgh at Hollywoodbets Kings Park on April 13, 2024 in Durban, South Africa. (Photo by Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Edinburgh exited the EPCR Challenge Cup after suffering a 36-30 quarter-final defeat against the Sharks in Durban.

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Despite leading narrowly at half-time, Edinburgh were ultimately undone by a Sharks team that put poor United Rugby Championship form to one side.

Prop Pierre Schoeman, flanker Hamish Watson and hooker Dave Cherry – in the game’s final play – scored Edinburgh’s tries, while fly-half Ben Healy kicked three penalties and three conversions.

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    But Sharks’ superior firepower was underlined through touchdowns from centre Lukhanyo Am, flanker James Venter and hooker Bongi Mbonambi.

    Fly-half Siya Masuku converted all three tries and kicked four penalties for an 18-point haul, while Curwin Bosch booted a late penalty as Sharks moved into a semi-final against Clermont Auvergne following their 53-14 victory over Ulster.

    Fixture
    Challenge Cup
    Sharks
    36 - 30
    Full-time
    Edinburgh
    All Stats and Data

    Healy kicked two early penalties for Edinburgh, but the Sharks hit back through an outstanding 17th-minute try when wing Makazole Mapimpi shredded the visiting defence before sending his fellow South African World Cup winner Am over to score.

    Masuku added the conversion, and Edinburgh were undone again 10 minutes later by another high-class Sharks score.

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    Mapimpi and full-back Aphelele Fassi were the architects, getting in behind Edinburgh’s defence, then possession worked its way to lock Eben Etzebeth and he found an unmarked Venter for the try.

    Masuku converted, but Etzebeth was then yellow-carded by referee Matthew Carley for a lineout infringement and Edinburgh capitalised on their temporary one-player advantage when Schoeman crashed over from close range and Healy added the extras.

    It was an impressive end to the first half by Edinburgh, and Healy completed his penalty hat-trick to secure a 16-14 interval advantage.

    Two Masuku penalties shortly after the break put the Sharks back in front, and a dominant third quarter was underlined when Mbonambi broke clear from the back of a maul for a try that Masuku converted, and there was no way back for Edinburgh.

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    Ulster saw their hopes of reaching the semi-finals crushed by Clermont at Stade Marcel-Michelin as the French heavyweights ran in seven tries.

    Back-row forward Nick Timoney touched down twice for Ulster, with both scores converted by scrum-half John Cooney, but the visitors had no answer to Clermont’s pace and all-court game.

    Fixture
    Challenge Cup
    Clermont
    53 - 14
    Full-time
    Ulster
    All Stats and Data

    Number-eight Pita-Gus Sowakula scored two tries, as did flanker Peceli Yato, while Alex Newsome, Rob Simmons and Joris Jurand also breached the Ulster defence as Clermont romped home through 33 unanswered second-half points.

    Fly-half Anthony Belleau kicked four conversions and two penalties, with Bautista Delguy and Sebastien Bezy each landing a conversion.

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    I
    IkeaBoy 3 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.”

    Good lad, just checking. So you’re not a bot! Chelsea bombed the 2008 final more than United won it. John Terry… couldn’t happen to a nicer fella.


    “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

    Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made.”

    So the difference between 2021 and 2023 would of course be TWO YEARS. 24 months would account for 3 different seasons. They contested ECL finals twice in two years. The first in 2021 - which they lost - was still the first elite European final in the clubs then 141 year history. Explain clearly how that’s not an achievement? Guess what age he was then…


    “I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright.”

    I thought you don’t care what certain managers did 10 years ago…

    Why would I address Eddie Jones? Why would he be deserving of a single sentence?


    “I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.”

    So you haven’t watched even a minute of Super Rugby this year?


    “lol u really need to chill out”

    Simply frightful! If you’re not a bot you’re at least Gen-Z?

    171 Go to comments
    f
    fl 4 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    “Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca”

    Why are you so insistent on being wrong? Man United won in 2008 (beating Chelsea in the final). In 2009 Barcelona won, beating United.


    “The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.”

    Again - you’re not correct. City won the CL in 2023, and made the final in 2021. Those are the only two CL finals they have made. With Barcelona, Pep made the semi final four consecutive times - with City he’s managed only 3 in 8 years. This year they didn’t even make the round of 16.


    To re-cap, you wrote that Pep “has gotten better with age. By every measure.” There are some measures that support what you’re saying, but the vast majority of the measures that you have highlighted actually show the opposite.


    I am aware Les Kiss has achieved great things in his career, but I don’t care what he did over ten years ago. Rugby was a different sport back then.


    I think your take on Gatland is pretty silly. Gatland was without Edwards in the 2013 and 2017 Lions tours and managed to do alright. You’ve also not addressed Eddie Jones.


    I agree wrt Schmidt. He would ideally be retained, but it wouldn’t work to have a remote head coach. He should definitely be hired as a consultant/analyst/selector though.


    “Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.”

    lol u really need to chill out lad. Kiss and Schmidt would both be great members of the coaching set up in 2025, but it would be ridiculous to bank on either to retain the head coach role until 2031.

    171 Go to comments
    I
    IkeaBoy 5 hours ago
    Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

    Pep didn’t win the ECL in 2009. It was 2008 with Barca. The gap between wins ignores the finals contested. 2 in 2 years with his City Triumph. The most recent put him in the elite company of managers to have won it with multiple clubs. Yet more late career success and history.


    His time with City - a lower win ratio compared to Bayern Munich as you say - includes a 100 PT season. A feat that will likely never be surpassed. I appreciate you don’t follow soccer too closely but even casual fans refer to the sport in ‘pre and post Pep’ terms and all because of what he has achieved and is continuing to achieve, late career. There is a reason that even U10’s play out from the back now at every level of the game. That’s also a fairly recent development.


    How refreshing to return to rugby on a rugby forum.


    Ireland won a long over due slam in 2009. The last embers of a golden generation was kicked on by a handful of young new players and a new senior coach. Kiss was brought in as defence coach and was the reason they won it. They’d the best defence in the game at the time. He all but invented the choke tackle. Fittingly they backed it up in the next world cup in their 2011 pool match against… Australia. The instantly iconic image of Will Genia getting rag-dolled by Stephen Ferris.


    His career since has even included director of rugby positions. He would have an extremely good idea of where the game is at and where it is going in addition to governance experience and dealings. Not least in Oz were many of the players will have come via or across Rugby League pathways.


    Gatland isn’t a valid coach to compare too. He only ever over-achieved and was barely schools level without Shaun Edwards at club or test level. His return to Wales simply exposed his limitations and a chaotic union. It wasn’t age.


    Schmidt is open to staying involved in a remote capacity which I think deserves more attention. It would be a brain drain to lose him. He stepped in to coach the ABs in the first 2022 test against Ireland when Foster was laid out with Covid. They mullered Ireland 42-19. He was still heavily involved in the RWC 2023 quarter final. Same story.


    Look at the talent that would be discarded in Schmidt and Kiss if your age Nazism was applied.

    171 Go to comments
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