EDINBURGH coach Alan Solomons last night praised his players' grit and determination after the capital side became the first Scottish side ever to win a place in a European final.
Edinburgh's 45-16 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at BT Murrayfield tees them up for a final showdown against either Gloucester or Exeter, who meet today, at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday 1 May.
"It's fantastic for everyone involved," said Solomons. "We have had a tough season and we have had to face a lot of challenges as a team. I think think we have grown together.
"It means a great deal to all of us o get to the final. Its fantastic for Scottish rugby."
Edinburgh went into the game without a number of top players, but Solomons explained that injuries earlier in the season had helped others to get up to speed.
The coach said: "At the beginning of the season we averaged seven frontline players out per game. That improved the strength in depth.
"For the lads to pull out a performance like that without five internationals says a lot about them and about our strength in depth now."
Lock forward Ben Toolis won the Man of the Match award, but the game featured another sparkling performance by scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, whose 25-point contribution was an individual record for an Edinburgh player in Europe.
Hidalgo-Clyne said: "We don't know who our opponents will be, but after a performance like that we have to be confident. There's no reason why we can't win it."
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