RUGBY RABO DIRECT PRO12: Edinburgh 28 Leinster 36:LEINSTER CONSOLIDATED their challenge for top honours in the RaboDirect Pro 12 league after defeating Edinburgh at Murrayfield last night despite losing the try count 2-3.
Leinster missed a number of scoring opportunities close to the try-line but profited from Edinburgh’s high penalty count that allowed Jonny Sexton to kick six penalty goals and Fergus McFadden a seventh. Sexton confirmed his kicking skills with a conversion and a drop goal for a 23 point contribution.
But the Leinster win was also about experience in key positions with Rob Kearney proving his worth and Leo Cullen putting in a solid shift at lock that helped the visitors to maintain the edge up front.
It was Leinster who applied the initial pressure with multiple-phase play only for a turnover and then a collapsed scrum to change the early balance with a penalty goal from Edinburgh skipper Greig Laidlaw.
Leinster looked set to make an instant reply when Rob Kearney was put clear only for an excellent tackle by Tim Visser to prevent the try. Edinburgh, however, were penalised at the breakdown allowing Sexton to level with a successful kick at goal.
Edinburgh came to close to scoring with an attack down the left that forced Leinster to concede a lineout. From that the Scots attacked the try line with a charge by backrow Dave Denton.
Having defended their own line, Leinster surged to the other end with a break by Isaac Boss. Again no try resulted and again Edinburgh transgressed at the contact area giving Sexton his second penalty goal.
Leinster’s lead was short-lived as winger Tim Visser showed clever running and sheer pace to score under the posts, Laidlaw converting for a 10-6 lead.
Edinburgh instantly fell foul of the law at the restart and again Sexton made no mistake with his penalty kick. Then, after a period of good ball retention, Boss added the finishing touches with a try converted by Sexton for a 16-10 lead. The penalty plague continued, resulting in successful kicks by Laidlaw and Sexton to maintain Leinster’s six-point lead at the half-way stage.
However, it was all change at the beginning of the second half as Visser again showed why he is a feared striker with a skilful run that took him past Sexton and the Kearney brothers, Dave and Rob, to score his second try, Laidlaw converting for a one-point lead.
It quickly became a two-point deficit after Sexton put over his fifth penalty, only for Laidlaw to reply in kind to restore Edinburgh’s 23-22 advantage.
The pendulum swung again in Leinster’s favour as Rob Kearney delivered a clever pass to give Leo Auva’a a try in the corner, Sexton missing with the difficult conversion.
The Ireland outhalf, after missing a penalty kick at goal on the left touchline, quickly atoned with a sixth successful penalty kick and then a drop goal for a 33-23 lead.
Edinburgh, however, had not capitulated and from a clever chip by teenage outhalf Harry Leonard, centre Matt Scott claimed his side’s third try, only for Laidlaw to miss the conversion. Then in the final minute of the game Edinburgh were again penalised and with Sexton injured Fergus McFadden delivered the points that ensured a Leinster win.
EDINBURGH: C Paterson; S Webster, N de Luca, M Scott, T Visser; H Leonard, G Laidlaw; A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Cross; E Lozada, S Turnbull; D Denton, R Grant, S McInally. Replacements: T Brown for Webster, G Gilchrist for Turnbull, N Talei for McInally (all 63 mins), J Thompson for Paterson (69 mins), S Lawrie for Ford (70 mins).
LEINSTER:R Kearney; D Kearney, E O'Malley, F McFadden, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, I Boss; H van der Merwe, S Cronin, M Ross; L Cullen, D Toner; K McLaughlin, D Ryan, L Auva'a. Replacements: R Strauss for Cronin (50 mins), R Ruddock for McLaughlin (58 mins), N White for Ross (61 mins), I Madigan for Sexton (79 mins).
Referee:L Hodges (WRU).
