Edinburgh rout Brive
CHALLENGE CUP WRAP: Glen Young and Freddie Owsley scored two tries each in Edinburgh’s emphatic 66-3 victory against Brive.
Young, making his first start for the club following his summer move from Harlequins, powered his way over from close range after only five minutes before charging down a box-kick and scoring his second with 26 minutes on the clock.
The rampant hosts were 21-3 to the good inside the half-hour mark when Jamie Ritchie scored in the corner, with Darcy Graham adding a fourth six minutes from the interval.
Shell-shocked Brive was struggling to cope with Edinburgh’s free-flowing play, and debutant Owsley delivered a superb fifth try before half-time when he kicked over the top and out-sprinted the Brive defence.
Edinburgh was 33-3 up when a blistering opening period came to an end, and it was not long before they extended their lead with Owsley celebrating his second after 42 minutes. Owsley then turned provider to pass to Ben Muncaster, who made no mistake in the corner.
Edinburgh moved past the half-century mark when Hamish Watson scored the home side’s eighth try of the evening after 67 minutes.
Following his call-up to Scotland’s Six Nations squad, Mark Bennett completed a week to remember by crossing over before Henry Pyrgos rounded out a brilliant win with his side’s 10th try in the final minute.
The victory sees Edinburgh overhaul Brive in Pool C and extend their unbeaten home streak in the pool stage of the Challenge Cup to 17 matches.
* Meanwhile, Lyon confirmed their place in the Round of 16 with their fourth win in four matches as they beat Benetton 25-10.
Tries from Hamza Kaabeche and Ethan Dumortier in addition to a penalty from Leo Berdeu gave Lyon a 15-10 lead at half-time in the Pool B contest at Matmut Stadium de Gerland.
The visitors’ responses came from an Ignacio Brex try on 17 minutes, converted by Leonardo Marin, who also kicked a penalty three minutes before the break.
In the final eight minutes of the game, with Benetton reduced to 14 men after Gianmarco Lucchesi was sent to the sin bin, Lyon’s Lima Sopoaga added a penalty before Xavier Mignot capped their victory with a classy try.
Lyon’s win means they have equalled their longest-ever winning run in the Challenge Cup.
Challenge Cup scores and scorers
Lyon 25-10 Treviso
Scorers
For Lyon
Tries: Kaabèche, Dumortier, Mignot
Cons: Berdeu, Sopoaga
Pens: Berdeu, Sopoaga
For Treviso
Try: Brex
Con: Marin
Pen: Marin
Yellow card: Gianmarco Lucchesi (Treviso, 72)
Edinburgh 66-3 Brive
Scorers
For Edinburgh
Tries: Young 2, Ritchie, Graham, Owsley 2, Muncaster, Watson, Bennett, Pyrgos
Cons: Boffelli 6, Savala 2
For Brive
Pen: Laranjeira
Playing Saturday (all times GMT)
Pool A: Zebre v Worcester (15.15)
Pool B: Gloucester v Perpignan (17.30)
Sunday
Pool C: Saracens v London Irish (15.15)
Match awarded because of COVID cases: Toulon 28 Newcastle 0
Sources: PA & @ChallengeCup_
