 | HEINEKEN CUP GROUP SIX Edinburgh: (26) 33
Tries: Mustchin, Kelly, Blair, Southwell, Leonelli Morey
Cons: Paterson (4)
Scarlets: (13) 32
Tries: Davies, Byrne, Popham, Selley
Cons: Hercus (3)
Pens: Davies, Hercus Att: 2,608 |
Edinburgh bombarded Scarlets with four tries before the interval to scupper the Welsh side's Heineken Cup campaign. Matt Mustchin, Andy Kelly, Mike Blair and Hugo Southwell all crossed for the Gunners, while Barry Davies scored for the Scarlets for 26-13 at the break.
Edinburgh then lost Simon Taylor to the sin-bin but Argentine speedster Francisco Leonelli added the fifth try.
The Welsh hit back with tries by Lee Byrne, Alix Popham and Tal Selley but fell just short of their target.
The bonus-point win took Edinburgh to second in pool six behind Toulouse, with Scarlets one point further adrift, though neither side can qualify as one of the two best second-placed teams.
The Gunners meet bottom side Wasps, the English champions and 2004 Heineken Cup winners, in their last pool match next week at the Causeway.
The Scarlets face Toulouse at home on 21 January.
Edinburgh coach Todd Blackadder: "That sort of experience isn't good for you. It was great to get a victory but I'd rather we had sealed it up earlier.
"We played some tremendous rugby, but we also made basic mistakes and were punished for it.
"We can face Wasps next weekend with genuine hope of another success."
Scarlets director of rugby Gareth Jenkins: "It obviously wasn't the result we wanted to keep our qualification prospects going
"But I have to salute the guys for sticking to the task - and we could have sneaked it in the end.
"The damage was done long before that when we gave away a couple of soft tries and we had to play catch up."
Edinburgh: Hugo Southwell; Chris Paterson (capt), Marcus Di Rollo, Matt Dey, Francisco Leonelli; Phil Godman, Mike Blair; Dave Hewett, Andrew Kelly, Craig Smith; Matt Mustchin, Alastair Kellock; Allister Hogg, Simon Taylor, Alan MacDonald.
Replacements: Dougie Hall, Alasdair Dickinson, Scott Murray, Alasdair Strokosch, Rory Lawson, Duncan Hodge, Michael Pyke
Scarlets: Barry Davies; Lee Byrne, Matthew Watkins, Regan King, Dafydd James (capt); Mike Hercus, Dwayne Peel; Martyn Madden, Matthew Rees, John Davies; Inoke Afeaki, Adam Jones; Dafydd Jones, Gavin Thomas, Alix Popham.
Replacements: Dorian Williams, Craig Hawkins, Chris Wyatt, Jon Mills, Clive Stuart-Smith, Gareth Bowen, Tal Selley.
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France).
MMIX
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