Leinster kill off Edinburgh’s European hopes

Edinburgh 23 Leinster 36

Needing an unlikely sequence of results to secure sixth place in Guinness PRO12, and at least a win to have any hope of finishing seventh and participating in the play-offs for the sole remaining qualification spot, Edinburgh paid the price for a poor defensive effort in the first half.

The home side’s points came through tries by Hamish Watson and Tim Visser, in what was his final appearance for the club before joining Harlequins, while Sam Hidalgo-Clyne kicked the other points.

Leinster’s pace on the counter attack was the source of tries for Noel Reid, Jack Conan, Zane Kirchner, Jordi Murphy and Luke McGrath, while Ian Madigan weighed in with an 11-point kicking haul as the Irish side secured the win that boosts their seeding for the Champions Cup draw.

Scorers for Edinburgh:

H. Watson (1 try), T. Visser (1 try), S. Hidalgo-Clyne (2 conversions and 3 penalties)

Scorers for Leinster:

N. Reid (1 try), J. Conan (1 try), Z. Kirchner (1 try), J. Murphy (1 try), L. McGrath (1 try), I. Madigan (4 conversions and 1 drop goal)

EDINBURGH:

Jack Cuthbert; Dougie Fife, Sam Beard, Andries Strauss, Tim Visser; Tom Heathcote, Sam Hidlago-Clyne; Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford , John Andress, Anton Bresler, Ben Toolis, Fraser McKenzie, Hamish Watson, Cornell du Preez.

Replacements:

Brown for Beard (59), Fowles for Hidalgo-Clyne (78), Sutherland for Dickinson (76), Cochrane for Ford (63), Berghan for Andress (38), Atkins for Bresler (57), Hilterbrand for McKenzie (73). Not Used: Te Rure.

LEINSTER:

Rob Kearney, Zane Kirchner, Colm O’Shea, Noel Reid, Dave Kearney, Ian Madigan Isaac Boss, Jack McGrath, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Devin Toner, Mike McCarthy, Jordi Murphy, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip

Replacements:

Kelleher for Kirchner (80), Gopperth for Reid (74), L. McGrath for Boss (65), Bent for J. McGrath (61), Dundon for Strauss (78), Denton for M. McCarthy (3), Conan for Denton.