Edinburgh suffer another testing night in Ireland with Leinster defeat

Mike Blair lamented another testing night in Ireland when they failed to build on a decent start and ended up falling to a 19th successive loss in Dublin.

Emiliano Boffelli managed a consolation score but it did little to camouflage another poor display as Leinster coasted to a bonus point win.

Blair’s men were already 14-0 behind at half-time having failed to make their chances pay after a blistering start at the RDS.

Edinburgh were on top again on the resumption but Leinster scored their third try before Max Deegan added the vital bonus point effort.

Mike Blair. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

“We’re really frustrated in the changing room, we thought we played some really good stuff,” said Blair.

“But it was fairly obvious the difference between the two teams, when Leinster got into our 22 they usually got out with points.”

Edinburgh made a fast start and both Boffelli and Mesulame Kunavula went close to scoring. The big No 8 forced the TMO into action but his try was ruled out for double-movement.

Leinster survived and once Connor Boyle was sent to the sin-bin for a head-on-head collision with Ciarán Frawley it put Edinburgh on the back foot.

The hosts didn’t have to wait and Scott Penny barged his way over from close range. Ross Byrne scored the conversion for 7-0 lead in the 21st minute.

Edinburgh struggled to find a foothold in the remainder of the first half and conceded again after the latest Leinster barrage. Deegan and Josh Murphy combined but it was Nick McCarthy who touched down.

There were just over seven minutes left before the break when Byrne converted again and despite one last-gasp opportunity Leinster couldn’t add to that lead at the end of the half.

Just like the first half, Edinburgh were brilliant on the resumption and loosehead prop Boan Venter came within inches of a fourth try in two games.

Ramiro Moyano was next to miss out when he knocked the ball into touch and that chance was gone as Leinster cleared their lines.

Leinster scored again in the 67th minute when Devin Toner claimed a lineout and Vakh Abdaladze pounced.

Deegan scored the fourth try but Boffelli at least prevented a whitewash on another poor night in Dublin.

Leinster: J Osborne; T O’Brien, R O’Loughlin, C Frawley, D Kearney; R Byrne, N McCarthy; E Byrne, J Tracy, M Ala’alatoa; R Molony, J Murphy; M Moloney, S Penny, M Deegan.Replacements: H Byrne (for Frawley 20), S Cronin (for Tracy 56), P Dooley (for E Byrne 56), V Abdaladze (for Ala’alatoa 56), L McGrath (for McCarthy 56), D Toner (for Murphy 57), A Soroka (for Moloney 73), R Russell (for Osborne 73).Scorers: Leinster: Tries: Penny, McCarthy, Abdaladze, Deegan. Cons: R Byrne (3).Yellow cards: none.Edinburgh: H Immelman, R Moyano, M Currie, J Lang, E Boffelli; C Savala, H Pyrgos; B Venter, A McBurney, LR Atalifo; M Sykes, G Young; B Muncaster, C Boyle, M KunavulaReplacements: D Cherry (for McBurney 54), J Armstrong (for Atalifo 54), C Shiel (for Pyrgos 57), C Hutchison (for Lang 62), P Phillips (for Young 63), S Grahamslaw (for Venter 69), K va Niekirk (for Boyle 73), J van der Walt (for Savala 73).Edinburgh: Tries: Boffelli. Cons: Boffelli.Yellow cards: Connor Boyle 20.Referee: Adam Jones (WRU)Attendance: 9,041.

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