Edinburgh significantly bolstered their chances for a top-eight finish in the United Rugby Championship with a crucial bonus-point victory over Connacht. The match, filled with intense moments and strategic plays, saw Edinburgh take control early on.

First Half Dominance

Pierre Schoeman, recently named in Andy Farrell's Lions squad, opened the scoring for Edinburgh with a well-executed try. Hamish Watson followed suit, adding another try before halftime, giving Edinburgh a solid 14-0 lead.

Connacht's Comeback

Connacht responded fiercely in the second half, with Finn Treacy scoring two quick tries within the first 11 minutes, leveling the score at 14-14. The game then turned into a thrilling back-and-forth battle.

Decisive Moments

Ben Muncaster restored Edinburgh's lead with a powerful try from a rolling maul. Despite Connacht's efforts, including a try from Shayne Bolton, Edinburgh's resilience shone through. Charlie Shiel's remarkable try and Ben Healy's penalty in the final minutes secured the bonus-point victory for Edinburgh.

League Standings

With this win, Edinburgh moves closer to the top-eight, now just two points behind Benetton in sixth place. Connacht, on the other hand, remains in 14th place, effectively out of play-off contention.

Upcoming Matches

Edinburgh will face Ulster in their final regular league match, while Connacht travels to Italy to play Zebre.

Line-ups

Connacht: Cordero, Bolton, Gavin, Aki, Treacy, Hanrahan, Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, Murphy, Murray, Prendergast, Oliver, Jansen. Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Dooley, Aungier, Dowling, Boyle, Blade, Forde, Hawkshaw.

Edinburgh: Goosen, Graham, Currie, Tuipulotu, Brown, Thompson, Price; Schoeman, Ashman, Rae, Sykes, Skinner, Muncaster, Watson, Bradbury. Replacements: Harrison, Venter, Sebastian, Young, McConnell, Shiel, Healy, Lang.

Referee: Ben Breakspear