Heineken Cup: Saracens claim resounding win over Edinburgh at Murrayfield

Alex Goode: Scored the pick of the tries for the visiting side

Charlie Hodgson: Finished with 25 points including late try

Saracens made a perfect start to their Heineken Cup campaign by securing a bonus-point victory with a 45-0 thrashing of Edinburgh at Murrayfield.

Joel Tomkins, Owen Farrell, Chris Ashton, Alex Goode and Charlie Hodgson all ran in tries as last season's semi-finalists were thoroughly outclassed in the Pool One contest.

The hosts made a positive start but it was Saracens who began to take control around the 10-minute mark and their pressure was rewarded soon afterwards when a fantastic side step and offload from Brad Barritt allowed Hodgson to play in Tomkins for the opening try.

Fly-half Hodgson nailed the conversion from wide on the right and then added another three points with a 24th-minute penalty from a more central position.

A rare spell of Edinburgh possession followed but Saracens' defence stood firm before Hodgson booted two more penalties to make it 16-0 at half-time.

Saracens started the second half on the front foot but Edinburgh scrum-half Richie Rees grabbed an interception which he ran deep into opposition territory before Schalk Brits was sin-binned for killing the ball at the subsequent ruck.

But Edinburgh were not able to get on the board even with a man advantage and in fact it was the visitors who increased the gap while Brits was on the sidelines as Hodgson nailed another penalty from out wide.

And any doubt over the outcome of the contest was removed when Ashton broke down the right before playing in Farrell for the score, with Hodgson missing the conversion from the touchline.

Sarries continued to surge forward for the remainder of the game and secured the bonus point when Ashton scored via an inside hand-off from Hodgson and shortly afterwards Goode rounded off a superb move with a fine finish.

A fifth try was added late on as Hodgson, who finished with 25 points, collected and ran in his own charge down.Edinburgh's sorry offensive effort saw them muster just one kick at goal, which fly-half Greig Laidlaw squandered in the first half.

The hosts' longest spell of pressure came at the end of Brits' sin-bin period, but they were unable to get over the try-line and eventually conceded a penalty.

At the end of the contest there was a smattering of boos from the home support.

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