Leinster Suffer Second Straight League Defeat

Three first half tries from Allister Hogg, John Houston and Simon Webster put Edinburgh on the way to their seventh straight home win in the Magners League, as Leinster’s title defence suffered another blow on the road.

After watching his side slip to their second league defeat on the bounce, Leinster coach Michael Cheika conceded that it ‘was a bad result which has pretty much killed our chances of (retaining) the league.’

The defending champions are still seven points behind but table-toppers Munster could move almost out of sight with a big home win over bottom side Connacht on Saturday.

Enjoying their third straight league win, Edinburgh are pushing for a high finish and their coach Andy Robinson, who is undecided about applying for the vacant Scotland role, wants more of the same before the season is out.

“The deadline is still a couple of days away and I still have some thinking left to do,” he admitted, when asked about the Scotland coach’s job.

“I think I have shown I am passionate about Scottish rugby in the way I’ve worked here with Edinburgh.

“I’ve got real passion for the players here. There are a few things I want to make sure of in my mind before I make a decision.

“I have really enjoyed working with Edinburgh and I am passionate about what I do. It is important for me that Edinburgh finish the season well.”

After a bruising European battle with Harlequins, Cheika took this opportunity to rest some of his frontline players including Brian O’Driscoll, Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, Jamie Heaslip and Felipe Contepomi.

It was all about getting the balance right, particularly as Leinster were keen to get their league bid back on track after going down to Munster last time out.

But while the visitors started well, bossing the possession, Edinburgh showed the killer instinct to score three tries in the 25 minutes.

Boasting a largely unchanged line-up, with lock Jim Hamilton making a notable return from a shoulder injury, Edinburgh cut through for the opener in the 11th minute.

The Leinster defence was punctured when the Scots swung the ball from right to left and half-backs Mike Blair and Phil Godman combined before Allister Hogg was sent over for the try.

In the pre-match build-up, Hogg spoke about the fact that Edinburgh ‘owed Leinster one’ as the Irish province had won the sides’ previous three meetings this season – two of them in Europe.

And there was a definite sense of revenge in the air as Robinson’s men continued to show a clinical edge. Paterson converted Hogg’s effort and also added the extras to winger John Houston’s try, 21 minutes in.

Houston, who has endured a hellish time with injuries, romped over for his first try in 16 months after a superb steal and jinking run from hooker Ross Ford.

Leinster had to replace winger Simon Keogh after he injured his knee in the lead-up to that try and the Irish side’s night worsened when Simon Webster swept through for try number three.

Team captain Mike Blair did the spade work, selling a dummy to a ragged Leinster defence before brilliantly passing for Webster to burst through and in under the posts.

Paterson converted again and Leinster got within scoring range themselves, before half-time, only to blunder with a quick tap penalty.

But they did manage to get off the mark before the break when centre Fergus McFadden landed a well-taken penalty for 21-3.

With crowd favourite Ollie Le Roux on the field for the second half, Leinster built some early impetus and young flanker Sean O’Brien was inches away from grabbing a much-needed try.

A crucial tackle by Paterson kept O’Brien out and while McFadden kicked a second penalty, Edinburgh exerted some pressure in the scrum and Paterson was able to reply from in front of the posts.

Leinster had the better of the play around the hour mark and they were beginning to squeeze the life out of Edinburgh, with McFadden kicking a third penalty and hooker John Fogarty claiming a converted try.

Fogarty took his chance off a close range ruck, piling over the line as the Edinburgh defence was caught off guard. McFadden’s successful conversion made a real game of it at 24-16.

But Robinson’s side managed to get back on top for the remainder of the game. Paterson took some of the tension away with a surefooted penalty, 17 minutes from the end.

And the hosts went close to notching a bonus point try in the closing minutes when television match official Jim Yuilles ruled out a lunge at the line from Hogg.

Edinburgh will be disappointed that they did not get that fourth try, given their first half heroics. Blair and Ford were key to the headstart they got, while O’Brien and replacement Kevin McLaughlin came in for praise from the Leinster management afterwards.