Declan Kidney’s much-changed Leinster outfit shared out twelve tries with Edinburgh on Saturday night, but were always in arrears at they fell 41-33 to their Scottish hosts at Murrayfield.
Declan Kidney’s much-changed Leinster outfit shared out twelve tries with Edinburgh on Saturday night, but were always in arrears at they fell 41-33 to their Scottish hosts at Murrayfield.
Celtic League: Week 16: Saturday, February 19
Edinburgh 41 Leinster 33, Murrayfield
Scorers: Edinburgh: Tries: Alasdair Dickinson 2, Phil Godman, Derrick Lee, Simon Taylor, Marcus Di Rollo, Simon Webster; Cons: Brendan Laney 3
Leinster: Tries: Kieran Lewis, Guy Easterby, Christian Warner 2, David Holwell; Cons: David Holwell 4
It was a night of highs and even more highs for Edinburgh as Scottish international Simon Taylor made a try-scoring return to action, and loosehead prop Alasdair Dickinson bagged two touchdowns – for the 21-year-old’s first ever league points.
The Gunners picked off their fourth straight win the hard way though as Leinster drew back from a 24-7 deficit shortly before the break, to be within five points with half-an-hour remaining.
Leinster’s normally reliable kicker David Holwell scraped a 15th-minute penalty shot wide, and it proved costly as five minutes later, Dickinson charged over in the right corner to open the scoring.
Although Leinster hooker Dave Blaney then gifted Frank Hadden’s men their second try with a lineout over-throw to Taylor, returning centre Christian Warner put Kieran Lewis skating over in the left corner on 35 minutes, in reply.
Kidney’s young crew critically handed Edinburgh two tries in the space of four minutes before the interval as full-back Derrick Lee and fly-half Phil Godman were allowed too much space.
Ireland scrum-half Guy Easterby’s score from a quick tap penalty then saw Leinster deservedly back in contention at 24-14 down.
His half-back partner Holwell converted four of Leinster’s five tries – and the Kiwi’s perfect chip kick allowed Warner in for his second try of the season, on the restart.
That good work was undone as a sloppy midfield pass from substitute David McAllister let Marcus Di Rollo scamper over from 60 metres out at the other end.
Edinburgh tries followed for left wing Simon Webster and powerful runner Dickinson before Warner pick-pocketed a second of his own.
Holwell converted and charged down a Brendan Laney goal line clearance to bag his second try of the campaign on 74 minutes, and while his conversion took his league points tally to 99 – the visitors’ bonus point push was too late.
EDINBURGH: Derrick Lee; Michael Pyke, Marcus Di Rollo, Brendan Laney, Simon Webster; Phil Godman, Mike Blair; Alasdair Dickinson, Dougie Hall, Craig Smith, Nathan Hines, Alastair Kellock, Todd Blackadder (Capt), Simon Cross, Simon Taylor.
Replacements used: Craig Joiner for Lee (40 mins), David Callam for Taylor (63), Rory Lawson and Andrew Kelly for Blair and Hall (both 64), Paul Wharakura and Fergus Pringle for Dickinson and Blackadder (both 67), Rob Dewey for Di Rollo (73).
LEINSTER:
(15) David Hewitt
(14) John McWeeney
(13) Christian Warner
(12) David Quinlan
(11) Kieran Lewis
(10) David Holwell
(9) Guy Easterby
(1) John Lyne
(2) David Blaney
(3) Ricky Nebbett
(4) Victor Costello
(5) Ben Gissing
(6) Ciaran Potts
(7) Shan Jennings (Capt)
(8) Eric Miller
Replacements used: Des Dillon for Potts (26 mins), Peter Coyle for Nebbett (28-40), David McAllister for David Quinlan (33), Gavin Hickie for Blaney (58), James Norton for Hewitt (64), Brian O’Riordan and Aidan McCullen for Easterby and Costello (both 71).
HT: Edinburgh 24 Leinster 14; Attendance: 2,400
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
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