Edinburgh reach Challenge Cup final
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne was among the points as Edinburgh saw off Newport Gwent Dragons
©Press Association
Edinburgh reached a European final for the first time after beating Newport Gwent Dragons 45-16 in a one-sided European Challenge Cup semi-final.
Their reward for a dominant performance will be a meeting with either Exeter Chiefs or Gloucester in the final on 1st May at Twickenham Stoop.
Reaction - Edinburgh coach Alan Solomons
"We have had some good games - the 1872 Cup against Glasgow was a big game and the game away to Bordeaux was big but this one was massive.
"It's a knockout and you have one chance. I thought the boys did really well.
I think it is fantastic for everyone involved.
"It's been a really tough season, we've been in a lot of tough challenges. It means a great deal to all of us to make a final and it's great for Scottish rugby."
Tries from Stuart McInally, Tim Visser, Ben Tooliss, Sam Beard and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne put them on course while Hidalgo-Clyne also kicked 20 points.
Brok Harris crossed for Dragons who faded after a strong start while Dorian Jones kicked 11 points for them.
Jones put the Welsh side ahead early with a penalty only for Hidalgo-Clyne to hit back with a penalty after Toby Faletau was sin-binned.
Dragons were given a reprieve when Edinburgh conceded a penalty close to the line but they could not prosper, allowing McInally to power through their defence for the opening try, which was converted by Hidalgo-Clyne.
Jones landed a penalty in response - against the run of play - only for Hidalgo-Clyne to inspire Edinburgh to score through Visser.
After 30 minutes, Jones converted a third penalty to keep Dragons in touch but Edinburgh hit back with Hidalgo-Clyne landing two more kicks to go into the break 21-9 ahead.
Dragons got onto the scoresheet first in the second period when Harris crashed over and Jones added the extras to cut the deficit.
Edinburgh fought back and the turning point in the match came after Phil Burleigh was halted just short of the line and scrum-half Jonathan Evans was judged to have killed the ball and was shown the yellow card.
Toolis then charged down an attempted Jason Tovey clearance and won the race to the line to dot down. After stroking over the conversion, Hidalgo-Clyne added another penalty.
While Evans waited to come back on, Hidalgo-Clyne made use of the extra space to pick up from the back of a scrum and dart over for a try which he converted.
He capped an impressive performance by converting Beard's try, freeing Fife for Edinburgh's fifth.
Dragons' limped out of the competition with skipper Rhys Thomas picking up a late yellow card.
