Misery for Edinburgh as they fail to make top 8
Benetton ………. 31pts
Tries: Mendy 7, Ratave 34, Albornoz 59, Izekor 62, 66
Conversions: Smyth 35, 60, 63
Edinburgh………. 6pts
Penalties: Healy 24, 27
Edinburgh’s URC play-off hopes ended in abysmal fashion with a comprehensive defeat in Treviso as Benetton booked their own place in the quarter-finals with a clinical bonus-point victory.
Captain Grant Gilchrist had declared beforehand that “not making the top eight was failure” and the visitors’ lack of intensity and composure with their season on the line was in stark contrast to the Italians, who were far more fluent in attack and resolute in defence.
“This is unbelievable,” said Benetton captain Michele Lamaro. “Now we want to keep going and give it our best shot next week. We will be ready, 100 per cent.”
With the Lions picking up a bonus point in defeat at the Stormers, Edinburgh tumbled out of the top eight despite winning two more games than the Johannesburg outfit, but only three attacking bonus points all season has cost them dear.
A chaotic start saw Benetton reduced to 14 men inside the first minute as flanker Alessandro Izekor cynically impeded Ali Price after the scrum-half tapped a quick penalty. But Edinburgh failed to profit from the extra man and the hosts took the lead in Ikezor’s absence after James Lang, deployed at full-back amid a spate of back-three injuries, knocked on a box-kick from Andy Uren.
Benetton sprang Nacho Brex through the middle and the centre’s superb offload sent Ignacio Mendy racing over.
The hosts’ smothering defence smashed back Edinburgh’s carriers but Ben Healy kicked two penalties in quick succession to briefly put them ahead. But they suffered a sucker-punch before the interval as Matt Currie lost possession and Ratave picked up the loose ball and sprinted in from his own half, Rhyno Smith’s conversion giving Benetton a 12-6 lead.
Edinburgh started the second period outside the top eight but their performance only deteriorated as the game went on.
They suffered a let-off when Benetton prop Thomas Gallo had a try ruled out for a double movement but their fate was as good as sealed on the hour as fly-half Tomas Albornoz capitalised on Menoncello’s half-break to round Healy and score.
Another turnover saw Ikezor smash his way over and when the flanker cruised home for his second, Edinburgh’s race – and season – was run.
TEAMS
BENETTON: Smith 7; Mendy 8, Menoncello 8, Brex 8 (Zanon 70, 6), Ratave 8 (Umaga 73, 7); Albornoz 8, Uren 7 (Garbisi 68, 6); Gallo 7 (Spagnolo 55, 6), Nicotera 6 (Lucchesi 37, 6), Ferrari 6 (Zilocchi 55, 6), N Cannone 7 (Iachizzi 53, 6), Snyman 6, Izekor 7, Lamaro 7, Halafihi 7 (L Cannone 52, 6)
EDINBURGH: Lang 6; Henry 6, Currie 5, Dean 5 (Bennett 65, 4), Van der Merwe 4; Healy 4 (Scott 65, 5), Price 6 (Vellacott 65, 6); Schoeman 6 (Venter 58, 5), Ashman 7 (Cherry 58, 5), Nel 6 (Sebastian 58, 5), Skinner 5 (Sykes 55, 5), Gilchrist 5, Ritchie 7 (Crosbie 72), Crosbie 5 (Watson 60, 5), Mata 5
REFEREE: Ben Whitehouse
ATTENDANCE: 5,000
Star man: Onisi Ratave – Benetton
