A ROUSING second-half comeback by Edinburgh fell just short of snatching what would have been an improbable victory last night in this Challenge Cup quarter-final. Lucky to be only 14 points behind at half-time after a dishevelled first 40, they were the better side after the break, but in the end left themselves too much to do to avoid a seventh consecutive defeat.

La Rochelle, who should have had the game wrapped up long before the end, now go through to a semi-final against the winners of tonight’s tie between Gloucester and Cardiff at Kingsholm. Edinburgh, by contrast, have nothing left in their season other than a few low-key league games.

In stark contrast to their current form in the PRO12, Edinburgh had won their last 11 home games in this competition, but from the opening minutes here they displayed the same failings in evidence in their last few league outings. “I’m gutted and the players are as well,” interim head coach Duncan Hodge said. “We could and should have won.

“We gave ourselves a lot to do [in the first half]. They feed off lineout drives and unstructured play, and that’s what we gave them in the first 15 minutes.”

La Rochelle threatened from their first possession, and centre Pierre Aguillon was only denied a fourth-minute try in the left corner by a last-ditch tackle from Sam Hidalgo-Clyne. Two minutes later, however, there was no stopping their pack from a lineout drive after a sliced Blair Kinghorn clearance, and hooker Jeremie Maurouard was awarded the score which Brock James, a late addition to their line-up, converted.

With 12 minutes played, they repeated the exercise when awarded a penalty well inside the home half. The ball was kicked to touch, Maurouard threw in and got on the end of the drive, and a few seconds later he dived over for his second try, also converted by James.

Edinburgh’s sluggishness up to that point contrasted with the visitors’ dynamism and determination, but they pulled one score back midway through the half thanks to some fine footwork by Phil Burleigh. The forwards did the approach work through the middle, then Hidalgo-Clyne and Jason Tovey combined to switch play right and feed the centre, who spun out of a tackle and raced through the resultant gap.

Tovey added the two points, and Edinburgh began to give glimpses of a more coherent display. But any optimism engendered by that score vanished five minutes later, when Arthur Retiere seized a third try for his team.

The breakdown inside the La Rochelle half should not have caused an immediate problem for Edinburgh, but as bigger men on both sides hesitated, scrum-half Retiere gathered and set off down the left wing. With Kinghorn closing him down on the touchline a chip ahead appeared to be his best option, but he carried on with ball in hand and bounced off the full-back’s would-be tackle before sprinting for the line.

The failure to convert was the only consolation for Edinburgh, but they had no such solace five minutes before the break when La Rochelle scored their fourth, again converted by James. Retiere’s elusiveness and speed again did the damage, and Steve Barry was on the scrum-half’s shoulder to accept the pass and touch down between the posts.

Ross Ford barged his way over in the left corner in the last minute of the half, but Tovey’s off-target kick left the score at 12-26 as the referee blew for half-time. Edinburgh began the second half in far more positive fashion, however, and after Kinghorn had been stopped just short they claimed their third try of the night through Hamish Watson, who scooped up a bouncing pass out of the tackle from Bill Mata. With Tovey going off injured to be replaced by Duncan Weir, Hidalgo-Clyne stepped up to convert, closing the leeway to a mere seven points.

La Rochelle appeared to have left their self-confidence back in the dressing-room, whereas Edinburgh, inspired by the pugnacious Watson, were much-improved. That mood did not alter, either, when James was wide with a penalty attempt as the match entered its closing quarter, then with 15 minutes left substitute Lekso Kaulashvili was sinbinned for tackling Damien Hoyland off the ball.

Weir kicked the penalty to make the gap a mere four points, but James then replied in kind to restore La Rochelle’s lead to seven points. That set up a ferocious last 10 minutes as Edinburgh went after the score that would have forced extra time. Try as they might, however, they could not get the better of a defiant French defence, and James made sure of the away win with another penalty a minute from time.

Scorers: Edinburgh: Tries: Burleigh, Ford, Watson. Cons: Tovey, Hidalgo-Clyne. Pen: Weir.

La Rochelle: Tries: Maurouard 2, Retiere, Barry. Cons: James 3. Pens: James 2.

Edinburgh: B Kinghorn; D Hoyland, C Dean (G Bryce 74), P Burleigh, T Brown; J Tovey (D Weir 49), S Hidalgo-Clyne (N Fowles 66); M McCallum (K Whyte 70), R Ford (S McInally 60), S Berghan (K Bryce 72), A Bresler (F McKenzie 54), G Gilchrist, V Mata (V Fihaki 68), H Watson, C du Preez.

La Rochelle: K Murimurivalu; S Barry (V Rattez 56), P Jordaan (B Nobles 19), P Aguillon (V Vito 43), E Roudil; B James, A Retiere (A Bales 66); M Corbel (D Priso 56), J Maurouard (H Forbes 56), M Boughanmi (L Kaulashvili 56), J Eaton (L Cedaro 56), M Tanguy, R Sazy, B Veivuke, K Gourdon.

Referee: L Pearce (England). Attendance: 5489.