Connacht dispatch Edinburgh to reach URC play-offs

Connacht sealed a place in the United Rugby Championship play-offs with a bonus-point victory away to Edinburgh.

A try from Josh Ioane and a double from Shamus Hurley-Langton put the Irish side in charge at 19-0 up at the break.

Matthew Devine wrapped up the bonus point with the fourth try, with Ewan Ashman scoring a late consolation for the hosts.

Connacht’s win moved them up to seventh in the URC table, while Edinburgh will finish no higher than 12th.

After a scoreless opening quarter, Edinburgh were hammering at the Connacht line, only to be hit with a sucker punch.

From turnover ball Connacht sprung from deep, keeping the ball alive brilliantly to set Ioane free for the opening try.

After having to defend for much of the half, the visitors started take a grip of things and Hurley-Langton finished off after a period of pressure on the Edinburgh line.

The flanker gave Connacht breathing space on the scoreboard in the final act of the first half when he dived over under the sticks for his second score.

Edinburgh huffed and puffed after the break without finding a way through the ferocious Connacht defence, and were architects of their own downfall as Connacht claimed their fourth try of the evening.

The ball was shipped aimlessly along the backline before being spilled in midfield. Substitute Devine was first to react, hacking the ball ahead and gathering to go in under the posts to kill off the game.

Duhan van der Merwe made a searing break from halfway and found Ashman who held off the cover defence to score, but it was little comfort on a night when Edinburgh’s dismal season ended in all too familiar fashion.