United Rugby Championship: Six-try Connacht beat Edinburgh

Connacht have now won five matches in a row

Connacht secured a 41-26 bonus-point win over Edinburgh at the Sportsground to boost their bid for a play-off place in the United Rugby Championship.

Tries from Cathal Forde, Connor Oliver and Caolan Blade for Connacht gave Connacht a 20-7 lead at half-time, with Lee-Roy Atalifo crossing for Edinburgh.

Jarrad Butler touched down in the second-half before Blade completed his hat-trick.

Viliame Mata, Glen Young and Blair Kinghorn touched down for Edinburgh.

Despite Connacht missing their Grand-Slam winning contingent including the likes of Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen and Finlay Bealham, the bonus-point win puts them in a strong position to nail down a play-off place.

In contrast, Edinburgh have now lost eight of their last nine URC games as the arrival of Steve Diamond, the former Saracens and Worcester boss brought in to work alongside Mike Blair, failed to inspire a revival in Edinburgh's fortunes.

After a tentative start from both sides, Forde made the breakthrough for Connacht, scything through the Edinburgh defence in midfield to open the scoring for the hosts.

With Connacht already in the ascendancy, Oliver scored his side's second try after a period of territory deep in the Edinburgh half.

Edinburgh fought back into the game however, with prop Atalifo powering over to get the visitors back in the game.

Momentum appeared to be swinging in Edinburgh's direction, but an excellent defensive read and interception from Blade allowed him to sprint clear and run the distance in a hammer-blow for the visitors just in the last action before half-time.

The sides traded scores in the opening stages of the second half, with Butler and Mata powering over from close-distance for their respective sides within minutes of each other.

Two yellow cards for Connacht players Butler and Dowling in the third quarter and an opportunistic try from replacement Young provided Edinburgh with a potential way back into the game.

However, a yellow card for Edinburgh full-back Boffelli and a quickfire double from Blade to complete his hat-trick put Connacht in control and comfortable as the game entered its final stages.

A late consolation try from Kinghorn secured a four-try bonus point for the visitors but Connacht secure an important bonus-point win.

Connacht: O McNulty; D Kilgallen, T Farrell, C Forde, J Porch; D Hawkshaw, C Blade (capt); P Dooley, D Tierney-Martin, J Aungier; O Dowling, N Murray; C Prendergast, C Oliver, J Butler.

Replacements: D Heffernan, J Duggan, D Robertson-McCoy, D Murray, S Hurley-Langton, K Marmion, T Daly, S Jennings.

Edinburgh: E Boffelli; D Graham, M Bennett, J Lang, D Hoyland; B Kinghorn, H Pyrgos; B Venter, S McInally, L Atalifo; S Skinner, G Gilchrist (capt); B Muncaster, C Boyle, V Mata.

Replacements: D Cherry, L de Bruin, WP Nel, M Sykes, G Young, B Vellacott, C Dean, N Sweeney.