EDINBURGH
ON THE third occasion a club steward comes up to crack a joke as we do our rounds of the ground, with me mugging at the camera, it becomes readily apparent that everyone in and around the stadium has a bit more pep in their step on this unnervingly sunny day. Call it percolating optimism.
Having a home tie for the European knockout stages will do that for you.
Not since those heady days of 2011-12 have Edinburgh played in a Heineken Cup quarter-final. That was a barmy old season, right enough. You may just remember the truly bonkers 48-47 win over (then-named) Racing Métro in the pool stages, when attacks were aflame and defences where made of marzipan.
After that dizzying affair, Edinburgh bested French powerhouse Toulouse in the quarter-finals. Then they finished so close and yet so far in their first-ever semi, against Ulster, as they took too long to strike while Ruan Pienaar calmly went about his business with the boot… This 2018-19 season comes close to those thrills though, at least in Europe.
Many will marvel at the 36,358 supporters flooding into the game today. Yes, there is a sizeable Munster presence amongst those fans, with splats of red all over the ground, but it feels oh-so fitting for a
