Edinburgh’s United Rugby Championship play-off hopes have been dropped at a shuddering halt as they have been blown away by Benetton in Treviso.
Sean Everitt’s aspect knew a win would assure a top-eight end however they produced arguably their worst efficiency of the season on the worst attainable time.
Ignacio Mendy and Onisi Ratave tries both aspect of a brace of Ben Healy penalties gave the Italian aspect a 12-6 half-time lead.
The hosts stored their foot on the fuel after the break with Tomas Albornoz scoring and Alessandro Izekor crossing the road twice as they eased to a bonus-point win that booked their very own spot within the play-offs.
A shedding bonus level for Lions towards Stormers in South Africa ensured Edinburgh would end exterior the play-off spots.
The sport had began promisingly for the guests when Benetton back-row Izekor was despatched to the bin inside 60 seconds for illegally halting a fast faucet penalty.
The numerical benefit proved nothing of the type as the house aspect struck first with a superb strive. James Lang, enjoying out of place at full-back owing to Edinburgh’s crippling back-three harm checklist, spilled a excessive ball that allowed Benetton to counter. Nacho Brex took possession on midway and carved his manner via the Edinburgh defence earlier than cleverly offloading for Mendy to attain.
The Scots had a let off after they have been opened up once more by a beautiful first-phase scrum transfer, just for Tommaso Menoncello to knock-on with the strive line beckoning.
Within the baking Treviso sunshine and within the face of some ferocious Benetton defence, Edinburgh have been struggling to make any type of impression in assault, though a Healy penalty did get them on the scoreboard.
The Scotland fly-half adopted it up with one other three-pointer quickly after and, regardless of a difficult opening half-hour, the guests led by a degree.
Edinburgh seemed to be warming to the duty, getting their massive ball-carriers into the sport, till they have been sucker-punched 5 minutes earlier than half-time.
Matt Currie misplaced the ball in touch and the ball popped up completely for Ratave to assemble and run it in from midway.
Benetton began the second half on the entrance foot and thought they’d stretched their lead when Thomas Gallo burst via to floor. The strive was dominated out for a double motion, a debatable name that was maybe a bit harsh on the Argentine prop.
Edinburgh’s reprieve was solely short-term as a neat offload from Menoncello set Albornoz free to go in beneath the sticks and lengthen Benetton’s benefit to 13 factors.
The guests have been all at sea and have been robbed of possession at a calamitous line-out, with Izekor capable of stretch for the road to seal the bonus level for the Italians.
There was no hint of any type of fightback and Izekor benefited from a beneficial bounce of the ball to stride house for strive quantity six and pile the ache on the hapless Scottish aspect.
It capped a formidable show from Benetton, however the meek give up from Edinburgh will immediate many questions as to the place this aspect goes.
