Edinburgh suffered their first defeat of the season after falling to Toulon in their European Challenge Cup opener on October 16, 2026, as Melvyn Jaminet starred in the French side’s victory.
Edinburgh entered their European campaign looking to extend a record against Toulon, having previously held a perfect three-from-three record against the club, according to Edinburgh Rugby. Last season, the Scottish capital side secured a 33-20 bonus-point win against the Top 14 visitors at Hive Stadium in December 2025.
Jaminet and Toulon Clinch Victory in Edinburgh Opener
Melvyn Jaminet starred for Toulon as the French visitors handed Edinburgh their first defeat of the season in the European Challenge Cup opener, according to BBC Sport. The victory sees Toulon bounce back from a turbulent start to their league campaign, which included a coaching change when Pierre Mignoni stepped down and Franck Azéma took charge.
Toulon arrived in Scotland with a squad packed with internationals, alongside Ben White, who previously scored two tries at Hive Stadium in December 2025.
Edinburgh’s Strong Domestic Start Meets European Hurdle
Before their opening European fixture, Sean Everitt’s side put together their best start to a United Rugby Championship campaign since the 2015/16 season, sitting top of the league after three straight wins. Those victories included a 34-29 win over Ulster in Belfast, featuring tries from Freddy Douglas, Malelili Satala, Hector Patterson, and Piers O’Conor alongside 14 points from James Grayson to hold off a late Ulster fightback. Edinburgh also recorded a 17-13 victory against the DHL Stormers at home, and a bonus-point win over Zebre Parma where Matt Currie, Freddy Douglas, Magnus Bradbury, and Tom Currie crossed the try line.
Despite the momentum built in domestic play, the European Challenge Cup opener proved a tougher test against a visiting Toulon side aiming to go deep in the tournament after reaching the semi-finals of last season’s competition. Previous historical meetings between the two clubs include an Edinburgh 40-14 victory at Murrayfield and a 28-17 win at Stade Mayol during the 2018/19 season.