Edinburgh Rugby: Damien Hoyland hails 'best feeling and vibe' after win over Glasgow

Damien Hoyland has described victory over Glasgow as the all-time high of his Edinburgh Rugby career and believes his team can now match anyone with a similar performance.

Hoyland scored Edinburgh's third and final try of a 28-11 win at BT Murrayfield, which secured their entry into next season's Heineken Champions Cup. The winning margin was enough to claim the 1872 Cup and set Edinburgh up for a trip to South Africa in the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals, where they will take on the Stormers on June 3 or 4.

Hoyland said: "It was awesome. This is my eighth year at Edinburgh and that's the best feeling and vibe we have had in a changing room after a game.

“I am a bit lost of words, my voice is a bit gone, because everyone has been signing and dancing in the changing room. It was just so pleasing to see how much energy we brought in every aspect of that game.

Damien Hoyland, James Johnstone and Chris Dean with the 1872 Cup after Edinburgh’s victory over Glasgow Warriors at BT Murrayfield  Picture: Ross Parker / SNS

“I felt like the whole 80 minutes we were just on everything, we were in every moment, we were in the fight for every part of that game. I feel really, really proud to be an Edinburgh Rugby player.”

Edinburgh will have their work cut out in the final eight as Stormers have won eight consecutive home matches to finish runners-up in the URC league table behind Leinster. But the two teams drew in the Scottish capital earlier in the season and Hoyland fears no-one.

“That energy we brought in every aspect of that game, we have got to bring that in the next game in two weeks for the quarter-finals," he said.

“If we bring that intent, that fight, then we'll give anyone a run for their moment.

“It's important that we take a few days to enjoy this moment as a squad, that's really important. But as soon as we are back in training we know we have a massive task ahead of us in a quarter-final and the focus is all going to be on that and about the energy we can bring as well. We are confident that we can back that up.”

Glasgow were consigned to the European Challenge Cup following the defeat while they will travel to face Leinster in the URC quarter-finals in the first weekend of June.