That there was even a tinge of disappointment in Edinburgh’s 27-16 victory over French powerhouse Perpignan shows just how far the capital club have come in four short months.
Edinburgh’s failure to score a fourth try and win a bonus point at Murrayfield on Saturday night ensured Munster have won Pool Six of the Heineken Cup with a game to spare, and leaves the Scots with the slimmest of chances of qualification themselves and barely a better one for the consolation of a quarter-final in the Amlin Cup.
However, perhaps the real perspective here comes from the utter mess this club was a year ago, when they didn’t even win a single bonus point in their Heineken Cup pool. The advance from that nadir in fortunes is almost gargantuan.
There was even a spell in the second half when Edinburgh played with confidence and assuredness not seen since they reached the last four in Europe two years ago.
The swiftest transformation has been in defence, and it actually took place within the space of just a week.
After a disorganised performance at home to Gloucester in the third round of the Heineken Cup in early December, Edinburgh’s systems suddenly clicked.
There was the incredible defensive stand a week later securing the win against Gloucester at Kingsholm, then another against PRO12 champions Leinster, and once again on Saturday for a key spell inside their own “redzone” Edinburgh were magnificently resilient in turning back a huge Perpignan pack.
Apparently splintered at maul and scrum, they held on, turned the tables when Perpignan used both methods again, and from a 10 minute spell of knocking at a firmly locked black door the French had to settle for just a penalty.
By then they were already chasing the game after Tom Brown’s opportunistic try from a Roddy Grant steal, and Edinburgh went on to claim further tries from Cornell du Preez and Dougie Fife to confirm victory. But it was clearly the defence that set the foundation.
Much has been made of the many imports brought in by Solomons, the latest being Carl Bezuidenhout who came on at half-time and had a big part in both the latter tries. But while du Preez has been a marked influence in the back row, it’s notable how established Scots in the team have also responded.
Roddy Grant can’t have been too far short from a third man of the match award in as many games, David Denton is back to the form of 18 months ago, Alasdair Dickinson has been outstanding this season and Grant Gilchrist continues to blossom as a force in the second row.
But the most notable turnaround has been Ross Ford if Scott Johnson had any concerns about the form of his first choice Scotland hooker, they’ve been dispelled with his authoritative all-round displays in the last four games.