Edinburgh 16

Leinster 9

LEINSTER LOST THEIR opening Pro 12 clash of the season in Edinburgh tonight.

Winger Damien Hoyland scored two second-half tries for the hosts at Meggetland.

Blues fans will find reasons to be optimistic; Isa Nacewa kicked the visitors ahead and they’ll be glad to see him back.

Nathan Fowles replied with a penalty for Edinburgh to send the sides in 3-3 at the break on what was a miserable night in the Scottish capital.

Nacewa kicked another two penalties in the second period but those Hoyland contributions and a yellow card for replacement Dominic Ryan proved decisive.

Leinster

15. Isa Nacewa

14. Fergus McFadden

13. Ben Te’o

12. Noel Reid

11. Darragh Fanning

10. Cathal Marsh

9. Luke McGrath

1 . Michael Bent

2. Aaron Dundon

3. Jamie Hagan
4.Tom Denton

5. Mike McCarthy

6. Kevin McLaughlin

7. Daniel Leavy

8. Jack Conan

Ulster 28

Ospreys 6

ULSTER MEANWHILE PRODUCED the most impressive of the evening from the Irish provinces.

They took apart Ospreys at Ravenhill to kickstart their season with a bonus-point victory. 

Stuart McLoskey, Rob Herring and Wiehahn Herbst crossed for tries before Luke Marshall crossed late on to seal the extra point.

The visitors had to rely on Sam Davies to kick their points while Joe Bearman was yellow carded half way through the second period.

Ulster

15. Louis Ludik

14. Andrew Trimble

13. Luke Marshall

12. Stuart McCloskey

11. Craig Gilroy

10. Peter Nelson

9. Paul Marshall

1. Andrew Warwick

2. Rob Herring (capt)

3. Wiehahn Herbst

4. Dan Tuohy

5. Franco van der Merwe

6. Roger Wilson

7. Willie Faloon

8. Nick Williams

Replacements

16 J Andrew

17 R Lutton

18 B Ross

19 P Browne

20 C Ross

21 S Reidy

22 D Shanahan

23 S Arnold

Paul O’Connell: ‘I’d love to win a World Cup but it’s a long, long way away now’

Simon Easterby hoping Ireland stay on the right side of the law in London