Leinster secure thrilling victory on opening night in Edinburgh

OPENING-ROUND WIN: Referee Andrea Piardi signals Leinster's fifth try, scored by captain Jack Conan, during the United Rugby Championship match against Edinburgh. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

United Rugby Championship: Edinburgh 31 Leinster 33

Leinster’s quest to land their first piece of silverware for four seasons got off to an encouraging start with this thrilling win away to Edinburgh.

A blended team of youth and experience – still missing many internationalists - could hardly have hand-picked a tougher opening assignment but after an evenly-contested first half, it was the visitors who proved too strong in the second as they landed a bonus-point victory despite a late Edinburgh fightback.

Sam Prendergast impressed at out-half both with ball in hand and from the tee while the returning Jamison Gibson-Park embroidered an excellent performance with a fine solo try.

Leinster’s next mission is a home match against Dragons, a contest they can approach with heightened confidence after this battling display.

The only negative note for the eastern province – beyond conceding five tries – was the late yellow card shown to Ross Byrne for tackling Darcy Graham in the air.

A significant evening for Gus McCarthy almost delivered the perfect beginning. Making his first Leinster start, the hooker looked in good shape to flop over for the opening try of the game as the visitors’ maul clicked into gear.

When McCarthy was stopped the ball was worked wide to Tommy O’Brien who looked set to score only for a combination of Ali Price, Dave Cherry and Hamish Watson to bundle him into touch.

Edinburgh took heart from that let-off and started to show an attacking threat of their own. The home fans were soon out of their seats cheering a Matt Currie try in the corner only for the final pass from Ross Thompson to have been ruled to have gone forward.

The danger for Leinster wasn’t over, however, with Edinburgh still enjoying penalty advantage.

Pierre Schoeman took the quick tap-and-go and, a few forays later, it was the Scotland prop who stretched for the line. Thompson added the extras.

That was a soft one to concede from Leinster’s perspective but they soon atoned with a try of their own. O’Brien was who got it, powering down the left wing to dot down after the ball was moved quickly through the hands of Prendergast and then James Ryan. 

That was O’Brien’s last involvement in the contest as he limped off to be replaced by Rob Russell.

It wasn’t long before Leinster forged in front, with Edinburgh complicit in their own downfall. Price’s box kick into the rain lacked sufficient distance and Charlie Tector was quickest to react, plucking the ball out of the air, using Russell on the outside to enable the dummy, before cantering across the line to score at ease.

It was a rollicking start to the new season and a second Edinburgh try quickly followed to level the scores. Thompson was the instigator, skipping past an attempted tackle before feeding the ball to Wes Goosen who found Jamie Ritchie. 

The one-time Scotland captain’s pass out the back of the hands was perfect for the stampeding Duhan van der Merwe who careered over in the left corner.

The second period began with the same fevered intensity as the first as both teams traded early tries. Edinburgh struck first, hooker Cherry finding Marshall Sykes with the line-out then collaring the ball at the back of the maul before collapsing over the line.

Again, though, the home side couldn’t hold on to their lead as Leinster landed a third of their own after good work by Tector and Prendergast created the opening for Jordan Larmour.

Both teams turned to the benches with Cian Healy on to equal Devon Toner’s club record with his 280th appearance and Rabah Slimani making his Leinster debut.

The visitors were in control by this point and soon claimed their fourth try and the bonus point with it. It was all down to the quick thinking of Gibson-Park who darted through a gap before fending off van der Merwe to score.

Edinburgh looked a beaten team and a fifth Leinster try confirmed as much, the maul teeing up Jack Conan to score from close range. A second van der Merwe score in the left-hand corner secured the home side’s first bonus point with a Matt Scott score with the clock in the red landing their second.

EDINBURGH: W Goosen; D Graham, M Tuipulotu, M Currie (M Scott 28), D van Merwe; R Thompson (B Healy 57), A Price (B Vellacott 66); P Schoeman (B Venter 56), D Cherry (E Ashman 51), P Hill (D Rae 51); M Sykes, G Gilchrist (J Hodgson 68); J Ritchie (M Bradbury 60), H Watson, B Muncaster.

LEINSTER: J Osborne; T O’Brien (R Russell 17), G Ringrose, C Tector, J Larmour; S Prendergast (R Byrne 59), J Gibson-Park (L McGrath 62); M Milne (C Healy 48), G McCarthy (J McKee 52), T Clarkson (R Slimani 52); C O’Tighearnaigh (B Deeny 52), J Ryan; M Deegan, S Penny (J Culhan 72), J Conan.

REFEREE: Andrea Piardi (FIR)