Edinburgh (12) 29
Tries: Gissing, Turnbull, Hogg, M Blair
Con: MacRae, Godman 2
Pens: D Blair

Edinburgh claimed fourth place in the Magners League by brushing aside a weakened Llanelli Scarlets.

Mahonri Schwalger scored an early try for the Scarlets, who then capitulated in the sunshine at Stradey Park.

Ben Gissing and Andrew Turnbull both crossed to give Edinburgh a 12-7 advantage at half-time.

The visitors secured a bonus point with two quick-fire tries from Ali Hogg and Mike Blair, although Dafydd James scored a late Scarlets consolation.

Edinburgh's league placing was nearly helped by Glasgow, who won 21-18 at Munster earlier on Saturday as they sought to overhaul their Scottish rivals.

The Irish endured a set-back in their preparation for the Heineken Cup final against Toulouse on 24 May.

But Munster still managed to hold on to third place thanks to a losing bonus point, while Edinburgh are top of the Scots two points clear of Glasgow.

In the later kick-off in west Wales, the Scarlets bossed possession in the opening exchanges but were unable to create a clear-cut scoring chance as Edinburgh scrambled well in defence.

The Scarlets were without seven internationals, including Stephen Jones, Mark Jones and Sale-bound Dwayne Peel, on Wales squad training duty.

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As the quarter-hour mark approached, a break from Matthew Watkins - playing his 150th and possibly last game for the Scarlets before a rumoured move to Leicester or Gloucester - carried the Scarlets into the Scottish 22.

With the Scarlets spying a five-to-four overlap on the blindside, Edinburgh moved swiftly to squeeze the space only for prop Schwalger to barge through Hogg to the line.

Rhys Priestland added the difficult touchline conversion, taking his season's tally to 107 as the Scarlets' top scorer.

Edinburgh replied when a simple midfield pop-pass from Ben Cairns found Ben Gissing on the loop, allowing the lock to lope away under the posts.

Calum MacRae added the simple kick before the visitors' created a second, equally straight-forward try.

Quick recycling caught the Scarlets short in the backs and gave Turnbull acres of space out wide.

The right wing stepped inside covering full-back Daniel Evans without a finger laid on him and then held off Gavin Evans to score.

Phil Godman, taking over the kicking duties after MacRae's injury departure, was wide with the conversion but Edinburgh still led 12-7 at half-time.

Third and fourth Scottish tries followed soon after the restart, Gissing punching a huge hole up the middle and off-loading in the tackle for skipper Hogg to score, Godman converting.

Edinburgh secured the bonus point in the 47th minute, forward power again taking them to within striking distance before scrum-half Blair applied the final touch for another seven-pointer.

A penalty from David Blair stretched Edinburgh's lead to a comfortable 29-7 going into the last 10 minutes of the season.

The replacement fly-half did well in defence soon after, as he managed to snake an arm under Nathan Thomas to prevent the Scarlets back-row from grounding the ball over the line.

Wing James did manage to find a Scarlets consolation with a try in the right corner, but the response was too late to put Edinburgh's lead under any real pressure.

Despite a miserable season that saw director of rugby Phil Davies lose his job two weeks ago, the Scarlets managed to hang onto sixth place in the Magners League - just ahead of Welsh rivals the Ospreys and the Dragons.

Llanelli Scarlets: Daniel Evans; Dafydd James, Nathan Brew, Gavin Evans, Matthew Watkins; Rhys Priestland, Liam Davies; Phil John, Mahonri Schwalger, Deacon Manu, Vernon Cooper, Scott MacLeod, Simon Easterby (capt), Johnathan Edwards, James Bater.
Replacements: Iestyn Thomas for John (49), Ken Owens, Lou Reed for Cooper (66), Nathan Thomas for Edwards (66), Gavin Cattle for L. Davies (68), Ceiron Thomas for Priestlend (53), Darren Daniel for Brew (59).

Edinburgh: Hugo Southwell; Calum MacRae, Ben Cairns, Nick De Luca, Andrew Turnbull; Phil Godman, Mike Blair; Augusto Allori, Ross Ford, Geoff Cross, Matt Mustchin, Ben Gissing, Allister Hogg (capt), Alan MacDonald, David Callam.
Replacements: Steve Lawrie for Ford (1), Allan Jacobsen for G. Cross (50), Craig Hamilton for Mustchin (59), Scott Newlands for Callam (66), Greig Laidlaw for M. Blair (55), David Blair for Godman (55), Mark Robertson for MacRae (24).

Att: 7,338

Referee: D Wilkinson (IRFU).