Leinster continue winning streak while Benetton defeat Ospreys : PlanetRugby

Leinster edged ever closer to a perfect run into the United Rugby Championship (URC) play-offs, claiming a 15th straight win in the tournament as they beat Edinburgh 42-27.

Defeat for Edinburgh dents their knockout hopes as they fell to a seventh loss in their last eight URC games.

Leinster outscored the Scottish outfit seven tries to four, with Max Deegan, Scott Penny and Michael Milne grabbing first-half scores. Harry Byrne converted all three tries to give Leinster a 21-15 lead at half-time.

For the hosts, Emiliano Boffelli grabbed a try and converted Boan Venter’s score and a penalty to keep his side within touching distance after 40 minutes.

But Leinster pulled away in the second half with Penny and Milne doubling their tallies as Dave Kearney and Michael Ala’alatoa added their names to the scoresheet, Byrne converting three of the four scores.

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Boffelli also grabbed a second five-pointer in the second half, with Sam Skinner scoring a late consolation.

That first half featured five tries, the first of which saw Edinburgh take the lead through Boffelli after good work in midfield from Stuart McInally and Marshall Sykes.

But the Argentina international was wide with his conversion attempt, and that allowed Leinster to go ahead minutes later when Deegan shrugged off a Ben Vellacott tackle all too easily to touch down before Byrne converted.

However, that lead did not last long either.

An Edinburgh move up the right quickly gained ground, and when the ball came back infield, Venter finished off from a couple of metres out. Boffelli was on target this time and added a penalty minutes later.

Again, though, Leinster soon hit back. Steady pressure in front of the posts ended with them being awarded a penalty, and some slick inter-passing from the tap saw Penny plunge over.

? Another set piece special from Leinster!#URC pic.twitter.com/IETMb1qKHk

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) March 4, 2023

Byrne’s conversion reduced the Irish side’s deficit to a single point, and they went on to regain the lead late in the half with their third try, finished off by Milne after Kearney and Liam Turner had done the initial damage. Another Byrne conversion made it 21-15 at the break.

Second half

Minutes after the restart, the lead extended into double figures.

A Leinster attack down the right wing sucked in the home defence, and when Jamie Osborne saw Kearney unmarked on the far left, he delivered a cross-kick which the winger just secured and downed. The conversion attempt was missed.

Edinburgh replied with an unconverted score by Boffelli, but Leinster restored their double-figures advantage when Milne notched his second from close range.

Ala’alatoa got his team’s sixth try, and when Penny added his second, there was still more than a full quarter to go.

Edinburgh had the last word minutes from time when Skinner scored the bonus-point try, and Charlie Savala converted. Leinster replacement Brian Deeny…