RaboDirect PRO12: Jonny Sexton stars for Leinster in their win over Edinburgh
Jonny Sexton scored 16 points as Leinster enjoyed a comfortable bonus-point 31-16 victory away at Edinburgh.
Last Updated: 04/01/13 10:54pm
Ireland international fly-half Sexton scored a try and added four conversions and a penalty at Murrayfield, while Leinster also scored through a penalty try and scores for Gordon D'Arcy and Ian Madigan.
Edinburgh had taken the lead through the first of two Greig Laidlaw penalties, but they were never in front again after Sexton had levelled matters after 19 minutes for play-off chasing Leinster.
The European champions went in front with their penalty try on 34 minutes, which Sexton converted, after Dave Denton was sent to the sin-bin for pulling down a maul.
With a man advantage, things got even better for the visitors two minutes before the break when the home defence was stretched to breaking point and Sexton fired out a long pass to D'Arcy who strolled over.
Sexton's conversion extended the lead to 14 points although Laidlaw landed a second penalty for the hosts with the final play of the first half for a 17-6 interval scoreline.
Edinburgh lost Stuart McInally and Tim Visser through injury but they clawed their way back into the game when Piers Francis landed a drop-goal.
But Leinster struck back with a simple move that carved open the home defence, Sexton exchanging passes with Shane Jennings before galloping in at the corner and slotting the conversion to extinguish any hopes of an Edinburgh fightback.
Nevertheless, the hosts rang the changes and appeared set to score when Jamie Heaslip played in the ball in a ruck a couple of metres shy of the Leinster line, earning a yellow card for his trouble.
Yet, even while operating a man short, the visitors secured the bonus point try with a multi-phase move that ended with Madigan slicing through to touch down beside the posts and leave Sexton a simple conversion.
Edinburgh had the final word and rounded off a disappointing evening with a flourish.
Nel earned plaudits when he thundered over from 40 metres five minutes from the end and Francis booted the extra two points, although even that effort failed to tarnish the gloss on Leinster's four-try show.