Edinburgh cruise to dominant URC win over Benetton

Duhan van der Merwe scored Edinburgh's first try of the game

United Rugby Championship

Edinburgh (21) 43

Tries: Van der Merwe, Richardson 2, Graham 2, O'Conor, Bradbury Conversions: Scott 3, Thompson

Benetton (0) 0

Edinburgh sealed their first United Rugby Championship win of the season with a morale-boosting bonus-point home success over Benetton.

After narrow away defeats by Zebre and Munster to start their campaign, Edinburgh were in need of a victory back in front of their own fans and they delivered in fine style.

Duhan van der Merwe, Dylan Richardson and Darcy Graham crossed in the first half to put Sean Everitt's side in control, before they hammered home their advantage after the break.

Richardson and Graham both scored again, while there were further tries for Piers O'Conor and Magnus Bradbury.

Benetton - who had beaten Lions and Glasgow Warriors in their previous two outings - were never in the contest and were nilled by an Edinburgh side energised by a packed home crowd.

The tone for the game as a whole was set inside six minutes as some lovely hands released Van der Merwe down the left wing, who raced away to score his first try of the club season.

Richardson blasted over from close range not long after with support from Grant Gilchrist and O'Conor.

There was a slight scare for the hosts when Graham needed treatment on his knee, but the Scotland wing soldiered on and showed his class with a fine sidestep and finish in the corner just before half-time.

Yellow cards for Benetton pair Malakai Fekitoa and Alessandro Garbisi didn't allow the visitors to build any momentum and in the same phase as the second sin-binning, Richardson was deemed to have grounded the ball over the try-line by the officials.

Having secured the bonus point, Edinburgh kicked on.

Wes Goosen broke the Benetton line and released O'Conor for his first try for the club since his summer move from Connacht.

Captain Bradbury smashed over and Graham went through the gears to score his second and the hosts' seventh try on an evening where Edinburgh showed what they are capable of.

Line-ups

Edinburgh: Goosen; Graham, O'Conor, Lang, Van der Merwe; Scott, Shiel; Schoeman, Ashman, Rae, Skinner, Gilchrist, McConnell, Richardson, Bradbury.

Replacements: Harrison, Whitcombe, Hill, Young, Douglas, Vellacott, Thompson, McCann.

Benetton: Gallagher; Smith, Drago, Fekitoa, Mendy; Umaga, Werchon; Spagnolo, Maile, Zilocchi, Marini, Snyman, Izekor, Bryant, Fa'aso'o.

Replacements: Bernasconi, Gallo, Pasquali, Favretto, Ruzza, Zuliani, Garbisi, Marin.