Pro12: Edinburgh 16-31 Leinster
- Published
Leinster took a while to get going but eventually earned a bonus-point win to add to Edinburgh's recent misery.
A penalty try was given on 34 minutes as Dave Denton was sin-binned and Gordon D'Arcy ran in a try soon after.
A fantastic break from Shane Jennings set up Jonathan Sexton for a touchdown after the interval and Ian Madigan torpedoed over for another score.
Prop WP Nel produced an impressive burst of speed to bag a late consolation try for Edinburgh.
A Leinster starting XV boasting 532 Irish caps was subdued by a battling Edinburgh side, licking their wounds from back-to-back defeats against Glasgow, in the opening half hour.
And the European champions fell behind to a Greig Laidlaw penalty before Sexton levelled from a kick awarded for a high tackle on Brian O'Driscoll by home prop Allan Jacobsen.
Sexton was wide with his next effort from long range but the visitors were building pressure and Edinburgh were suddenly two scores behind before the interval.
Denton was shown a yellow card when he pulled down a maul under the posts and Leinster were awarded a penalty try which Sexton converted.
Two minutes before the break the home defence was stretched to breaking point and Sexton fired out a long pass to D'Arcy who strolled over.
Sexton's conversion extended the lead to 14 points although Laidlaw landed a second penalty for the hosts with the final play of the first half.
The visitors appeared to have bagged a third try when Cian Healy darted over. However, his touchdown was disallowed for blocking.
Edinburgh lost Stuart McInally and Tim Visser to knocks but clawed their way back when Piers Francis landed a drop-goal.
Leinster then struck back with a move that carved open the home defence, Sexton exchanging passes with Jennings before galloping in at the corner and slotting the conversion to extinguish any hopes of a home fight back.
Edinburgh appeared set to score when Jamie Heaslip played in the ball in a ruck a couple of metres shy of the Leinster line, earning a yellow card for his trouble.
Yet, even while operating a man short, the visitors secured the bonus point try with a multi-phase move that ended with Madigan slicing through to score beside the posts, with Sexton adding the extras.
Edinburgh, who had shown glimpses of promise, finished a disappointing evening with a flourish.
Nel dummied a man, jinked past another and bounced through a tackle as he thundered over from 40 metres five minutes from the end and Francis booted over the conversion to give home fans something to smile about.
Edinburgh: Tonks, Fife, Scott, Atiga, T. Visser, Francis, Laidlaw, Jacobsen, Titterrell, Nel, Gilchrist, Cox, McInally, Basilaia, Denton. Replacements: King for Atiga (41), Rees for T. Visser (47), Hislop for Jacobsen (61), Lawrie for Titterrell (61), Cross for Nel (74), Grant for McInally (46), Parker for Basilaia (55). Not Used: S. Visser.
Sin Bin: Denton (34).
Leinster: R. Kearney, Carr, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Fitzgerald, J. Sexton, Reddan, Healy, Cronin, Ross, Cullen, Toner, McLaughlin, O'Brien, J. Heaslip. Replacements: Conway for R. Kearney (61), Boss for D'Arcy (68), Madigan for Fitzgerald (62), van der Merwe for Healy (61), Dundon for Cronin (68), Bent for Ross (62), Denton for Toner (58), Jennings for McLaughlin (47).
Sin Bin: J. Heaslip (64).
Att: 3,821
Ref: Ian Davies (WRFU).
- Published3 January 2013
- Published29 December 2012
- Published29 December 2012