RaboDirect Pro12: Ulster 38-16 Edinburgh

Ulster boosted their chances of a Pro12 play-off place by scoring six tries in a bonus-point win over Edinburgh.

Paul Marshall, Stefan Terblanche and Adam D'Arcy scored first-half tries and Chris Cochrane and Ian Humphreys touchdowns, plus a penalty try, were just reward for Ulster's dominance.

Ruan Pienaar kicked four conversions.

Sep Visser and Tim Visser were the Edinburgh try-scorers while Phil Godman kicked two penalties for the visitors, who were largely outclassed.

Edinburgh began the game brightly and some slick handling by their back division allowed Sep Visser to go over in the corner in the fourth minute, Godman missing the conversion.

Pienaar missed with his first kick at the posts but Marshall levelled the scores with his 10th-minute try.

D'Arcy set up the score with his counter-attacking run and he passed to Pienaar, who fed Marshall to touch down under the posts.

Pienaar slotted the simple conversion between the posts.

John Afoa, Pienaar, Ian Whitten and D'Arcy all played their part in a flowing move which gave Ulster their second try on 16 minutes, Terblanche scoring in the corner. Pienaar again added the two points.

The Irish province continued to dominate and added a deserved third try in the 32nd minute.

The livewire Marshall made the initial break, then offloaded to Pienaar, who passed to full-back D'Arcy, who scored under the posts.

Pienaar converted to extend the home side's lead to 16 points but Godman knocked over a penalty in first-half injury-time.

The Edinburgh fly-half kicked his second penalty three minutes after the break to further cut Ulster's advantage.

Referee Nigel Owens awarded a penalty try in the 50th minute after Edinburgh were penalised for collapsing the scrum and Pienaar's fourth successful conversion attempt extended his side's lead.

Replacement Chris Cochrane scored the fifth try on 64 minutes after Pienaar took a tap penalty and Ian Humphreys fed Cochrane to score in the corner.

Tim Visser replied with a try in the corner for the visitors after 72 minutes and Godman was just off-target with his conversion attempt.

Humphreys showed a fine turn of speed to run from his own half and touch down for the sixth try, Pienaar missing the conversion.

It was an adventurous, commanding display from Brian McLaughlin's charges, who lie fifth in the table.

Ulster: A D'Arcy; C Gilroy, I Whitten, P Wallace (capt), S Terblanche; R Pienaar, P Marshall; P McAllister, A Kyriacou, J Afoa, L Stevenson, D Tuohy, P Wannenburg, W Faloon, R Diack.

Replacements: N Brady for Kyriacou (55), C Black for McAllister (51), A Macklin for Afoa (70), N McComb for McComish (47), M McComish for Wannenburg (13), I Humphreys for Marshall (52), L Marshall for Whitten (70), C Cochrane for D'Arcy (59).

Edinburgh: T Brown; S Visser, M Scott, J Houston, T Visser; P Godman, C Leck; K Traynor, A Kelly, U Gamboa, G Gilchrist, S Cox, S McInally, R Grant (capt), N Talei.

Replacements: A Walker for Kelly (52), R Hislop for Traynor (60), J Gilding for Gamboa (41), R McAlpine for Gilchrist (41), H Watson for McInally (17), A Black for Leck (60), H Leonard for Houston (59), C Paterson for S Visser (70).