Leinster were too slick and powerful and Edinburgh just inept defensively in a dreadful first half as they went down to their first Guinness PRO12 home defeat at BT Murrayfield last night.
The Dubliners had the bonus point registered before half-time and were in fact less than full value for their 26-8 lead at the break, slicing through the disorganised home backline almost at will.
Edinburgh did rally after the break and had their chances to turn the match around, but two tries for almost complete domination of territory and possession were simply not enough, and Leinster had the final word with a last play try that left the home side without even a bonus and a 33-20 defeat.
Coach Alan Solomons credited his side for coming back from the half-time deficit to get within a try, but bemoaned his side’s defensive performance.
“The first half our defence was simply not up to the job, and we gave up in my opinion four soft tries,” he said.
“To come back from that to have every chance of winning the game was to their credit, but then we have another defensive lapse and don’t even come away with a bonus point.”
There were few excuses this week for the capital club with a near perfect night at Murrayfield, as they were never at the races for a long spell in the first half when Leinster simply ran away with the game.
The irony was that Edinburgh actually started brightly and ran up a quick 8-0 lead before Leinster totally took over the game.
Sasa Tofilau’s run from open play opened up the Leinster defence on Edinburgh’s first possession, and when they put it wide Phil Burleigh’s kick up the line found Michael Allen winning the chase for the try.
Unfortunately the wing injured himself in the act of scoring, and Tofilau also went off early as after a Duncan Weir penalty stretched the lead, the home side then barely got a touch for half an hour.
Daniel Leavy sprinted through a huge hole on a Noel Reid pass to open the floodgates, Nacewa converting, and then on the Irishmen’s next attack Gary Ringrose strolled in after Edinburgh ran out of defenders.
Weir’s try-saving tackle on Ringrose straight from the kick-off proved only a brief respite as the veteran Leinster skipper converted his own try after Brown’s poor pass in his own 22 resulted in a Burleigh knock-on.
Another penalty on the retreat brought more slick Leinster forward progress by the forwards and scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park darted over from close range for the bonus point score.
Edinburgh skipper Grant Gilchrist then saw a yellow card for pulling down a maul as Leinster went for more, but the home side managed to limp inside for the break without any further damage.
The capital side came out intent on making some sort of defiant statement, but although they forced a yellow card for Leavy and scored a try through Hamish Watson, they got no more from 20 full minutes of possession inside the Leinster 22.
Brown on the left and Glenn Bryce on the right got away on overlaps but went into touch as Edinburgh continued to press.
Another chance was missed when Kinghorn sliced through a gap and was supported by Watson and Weir, but a loose pass hit the deck and Leinster again regrouped.
Finally with five minutes left replacements Cornell du Preez and Fraser McKenzie made good ground to send Magnus Bradbury over near the posts, but Weir missed the easy conversion.
Edinburgh therefore needed a converted try to pull it out of the fire but instead Weir’s poor kick gave Leinster possession in the 22, and Leavy denied the home side even a losing bonus point with his second and his side’s fifth try.
Att: 3484
Edinburgh: G Bryce; M Allen (B Kinghorn 24), S Tofilau (S Rasolea 25), P Burleigh, T Brown; D Weir, N Fowles (S Hidalgo-Clyne 49); R Sutherland (A Dell 58), R Ford (S McInally 49), WP Nel (K Bryce 68); B Toolis, G Gilchrist (capt, F McKenzie 66); M Bradbury, H Watson, T Fihaki (C du Preez 58).
Leinster: Z Kirchner; I Nacewa, G Ringrose, N Reid, D Kearney; J Carbery (C Marsh 73), J Gibson-Park (L McGrath 60); J McGrath (C Healy 49), S Cronin (B Byrne 49), M Ross (T Furlong 49); D Toner, M McCarthy (R Molony 56); J Murphy (J van der Flier 66), D Leavy, J Heaslip.
Ref: D Wilkinson (IRFU)
