Edinburgh miss out on URC play-offs after a heavy loss at Benetton

Edinburgh missed out on a place in the United Rugby Championship play-offs after losing 31-6 to Benetton at Stadio Monigo. The Scottish capital club needed to beat the Italians to guarantee extending their season but the Lions’ losing point against the Stormers in Cape Town sealed their fate.

Tries from Ignacio Mendy, Onisi Ratave, Tomas Albornoz and Alessandro Izekor (two) helped Benetton clinch a play-off berth for the first time since 2019.

Benetton overcame an early yellow card for Izekor to take the lead in a fast and frenetic opening.

Albornoz fed Nacho Brex, who made a powerful break before producing a fine offload to allow Mendy to run in, with Rhyno Smith missing the conversion.

A pair of penalties from Ben Healy, the competition’s leading points-scorer, then nudged Edinburgh into a one-point lead but Benetton moved back in front towards the end of the first half.

Ratave capitalised on Matt Currie spilling the ball to sprint over just wide of the posts and Smith made no mistake with the extras to give the home side a 12-6 lead at the break.

Thomas Gallo had a try ruled out for Benetton for a double movement but they did extend their advantage with two quickfire tries, both converted by Smith, either side of the hour mark.

Albornoz spotted a gap in the Edinburgh defence to go in under the posts before Izekor benefitted from sloppy play from the visitors to secure Benetton the bonus point.

Izekor claimed his second four minutes later, Smith this time missing from the tee, as Benetton condemned Edinburgh to a fifth successive defeat when visiting Treviso.