Leinster Rugby fell to a 29-24 defeat away to Edinburgh Rugby on Friday evening in the Guinness PRO14, the province’s third loss of the season.
A try in the final two minutes of the game from Mark Bennett gave Richard Cockerill’s side the win after 80 minutes with saw the teams exchange the lead on several occasions.
Leinster went ahead early on after a powerful close-range finish from Max Deegan, which was converted by Ross Byrne.
That positive start was undone, however, when Edinburgh scored two tries in the space of three minutes through Luke Crosbie and Nathan Fowles.
Leinster’s lead was restored when Byrne converted a Scott Fardy effort. Then Barry Daly went over to get his first of the night to put his side 12-19 ahead.
Leinster looked to be going in with a seven-point lead at the break but Edinburgh struck with their third try to cut that lead to two at half-time.
The second half was another back-and-forth affair as Edinburgh went ahead through Duhan van der Merwe, but five minutes later the lead swung back to Leinster when Daly got his second, securing a bonus point in the process.
Leinster defended that lead until Bennett late score meaning the province left Myreside with two bonus points rather than the desired five.
Despite defeat to Edinburgh Leinster went top of PRO14 Conference B thanks to those two bonus points, and that’s where Leo Cullen’s men stayed when reigning champions Scarlets lost out away to Benetton Rugby on Sunday afternoon, 22-12.
Leinster head into this Saturday’s clash with Scarlets at the RDS Arena top of the conference on points difference, with the opportunity to extend the lead over the Welsh side with a victory this weekend.
Tickets for the crucial clash against Scarlets are available from €23.50/10. Join the roar and get your tickets now.
