Goal achieved and with a bonus. 

After the historic win away in Toulon, France, we prepared in short week mode – this is when you play a game in another country on Saturday and you have to fly back on the Sunday and your next game is on a Friday. Therefore, we trained on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

The latest column from Juan Pablo Socino.

We were facing one of the big teams in Europe, such is Montpellier. A team brimming with stars, even world champions.

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In our hands, we had the chance to qualify to a home quarterfinal in the European Cup, something that would be great for us as club and for the city.

We knew the weather could be an issue that would play in our advantage as French teams don’t like freezing temperatures and rain, which are common to Scots at this time of the year. Me? Having lived in the U.K. for a few years, I have accustomed to the weather.

We worked hard on our game, mostly on the physical recovery as we were coming off a big number of games.

They have a huge pack of forwards and their game plan is based on their presence in every aspect of the game. To beat them, we had to be dominant in each point of contact.

Murrayfield had a record crowd for European Cup game. Despite having a capacity for 67,144 spectators, the 11,000 that came to support us was a domestic record.

The game was how we had imagined; them trying to slow things down, being physical, whereas we tried to move the ball, and their heavier forwards, around.

Even if the score did not reflect this, we were the better team, which helped us come out to play the second half with a positive attitude. We raised the tempo, defended strongly in a hard final half.

Fortunately, Edinburgh won again, which was pure joy for players and fans.

Qualifying for a home quarterfinal made it an almost perfect night.

Yet, there was no time for celebration as the squad was split. On one hand those who joined the Scottish team ahead of the Six Nations; and the rest of us who had a short break before rejoining at the airport for the long trip to South Africa, for the next round of the Guinness Pro14.

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This day and age, with good logistics, it is easier for a player to transition from a European Cup and Pro14 game.

No celebration and little time to understand what had been achieved. What was done, was done. You change your chip and start focusing on the Kings.

The 28-hour trip from Edinburgh to Port Elizabeth, was via Qatar and Cape Town. A very long trip, which we did in economy class, except eight players who were fortunate to fly in comfort in business class.

That same Monday we arrived, it was out to train in 30 degrees, having left home with freezing temperatures.

As I said before, everything is so quick that one has to adapt; you don’t notice the difference and take each game as it comes, one at a time, every one important…be it to qualify for a quarterfinal or just a Cup game.

The goal always stays the same: win!