Edinburgh enjoyed a winning start to the new GUINNESS PRO12 season against Leinster as Damien Hoyland scored two tries after the break to hand his side a 16-9 win.

The game struggled to spark into life and was locked at 3-3 at the break as Nathan Fowles and the returning Isa Nacewa exchanged first-half penalties.

The defining moment of the game arrived on 54 minutes as Hoyland scored in the corner and despite two further Nacewa penalties; Jack Cuthbert settled Edinburgh nerves with a long range penalty to leave it 11-9.

And in the final few minutes Hoyland scored his second try of the game to settle the contest in Edinburgh’s favour.

Leinster have surprisingly only won in the first round of the GUINNESS PRO12 once in the last seven years; 42-19 at Scarlets in 2013 but the Irish Province seemed determined to improve on that poor record as they started the brighter of the two sides.

But they were left frustrated on ten minutes after a series of close-range drives near the Edinburgh line saw Jack Conan and Darragh Fanning go close but ill-discipline from the visitors saw their pressure ended and a penalty awarded.

Nacewa, making his second return to the men in blue by starting at full-back, scored the visitors’ first points of the new season as he struck a penalty on 17 minutes following a high tackle on the halfway line.

Edinburgh head coach Alan Solomons is missing nine squad members on international duty at the World Cup – eight for Scotland and Will Helu for Tonga – and it showed early on as the home team struggled with any attacking continuity.

The home side were also second best at the set piece in the opening quarter and they were penalised on 23 minutes for not pushing straight in the scrum – sadly for Leinster Nacewa missed his second kick at goal of the night from distance.

Fowles levelled for Edinburgh on 25 minutes with a sweetly-struck penalty after a needless mistake from Leinster on halfway.

Edinburgh have won just one of their last nine encounters with Leinster since 2010 – 11-6 at Murrayfield in December 2013 – but the Scottish side looked capable of righting previous wrongs as the momentum started to swing their way.

They dominated territory and possession in the final ten minutes of the first half and came within inches of scoring after an attacking line-out but Leinster held firm under intense pressure.

Edinburgh could have gone ahead on 38 minutes with a long range penalty but Fowles missed his kick at goal and Leinster survived.

Edinburgh’s only victory in the final four rounds of last season’s GUINNESS PRO12 was 37-0 at home to Zebre in Round 20 but despite their recent poor record they looked the more likely side in the final minutes of the first half.

Kevin McLaughlin, captaining Leinster from blindside flanker for his 115th appearance in blue after an injury-disrupted season last year where he only played five times, suffered further misfortune just eight minutes after the break as he left the field with suspected concussion.

Edinburgh thought they had scored on 50 minutes following a close range driving maul but flanker Roddy Grant dropped the ball over the try line when it seemed easier to score.

They didn’t need to wait long though for their first score as winger Hoyland touched down just four minutes later for Edinburgh, taking advantage of sustained pressure from the Scottish side – Fowles failed to add the extras off the tee.

Against the run of play Leinster got a foothold back in the game as Nacewa ensured Leinster remained in touch at 8-6 thanks to a straightforward penalty in front of the posts on 58 minutes.

Leinster’s problems at scrum time continued in the final quarter and they were penalised on 60 minutes once again – but this time Edinburgh full back Cuthbert missed his long range kick as the home struggled to create some much-needed breathing space.

Despite their many absentees, Leinster boss Leo Cullen named his first competitive XV with 11 internationals in the matchday squad and had the luxury of bringing Isaac Boss off the replacements bench on the hour – he was released from the Irish Rugby World Cup earlier this month.

And his influence was strong in the final quarter as the Irish pack suddenly started competing in the set piece with Boss barking out the orders.

Leinster could have gone ahead on 69 minutes with a penalty for an infringement in the scrum but in appalling conditions Nacewa missed his long-range kick at goal.

The miss proved costly for Leinster as Edinburgh immediately responded with a kick at goal of their own on 71 minutes – and this time Cuthbert slotted his penalty.

Nacewa kept Leinster within touching distance with a penalty on 73 minutes to leave the score at 11-9.

But Dominic Ryan was yellow carded for Leinster in the final few minutes and with a man advantage Hoyland scored his second try of the evening after a period of sustained Edinburgh pressure.

Follow us on Facebook, join the conversation on Twitter, sign up to ourYouTube channel for extensive match highlights and sign up for our newsletter for regular updates on the GUINNESS PRO12