Saracens 40-7 Edinburgh

Chris Ashton scored twice as Saracens beat Edinburgh with a bonus point to put themselves in pole position for a home Heineken Cup quarter-final.

Three Owen Farrell penalties and Ashton's first made it 14-7, Greig Tonks replying for Edinburgh.

Ashton scored his second after the break before Matt Stevens went over.

A late try for Charlie Hodgson secured the bonus and Chris Wyles added gloss as Sarries bade farewell to Vicarage Road with a comprehensive victory.

The bonus point gives the Pool One winners 23 points and lifts them above Ulster into the top four qualifiers for the last eight, barring a freak result in the final round of games later on Sunday.

And they will be delighted to have ended their long tenancy at the home of Watford football club with a comprehensive victory in snowy conditions on the outskirts of London.

Saracens' powerful pack soon established control over the visiting eight and Edinburgh indiscipline, combined with the hosts' dominance in the scrum and at the breakdown, gave them the chance to build an early lead.

The clinical Farrell made it 27 successful kicks in a row with three penalties in the first quarter.

And they extended their lead as Richard Wigglesworth threaded a precise grubber kick through the on-rushing Edinburgh defence to leave Ashton in splendid isolation as he touched down for the first try of the afternoon.

England fly-half Farrell hit the post with the conversion from wide out to end his remarkable run of consecutive successes from the kicking tee and Edinburgh hit back almost immediately as Wigglesworth's form went from the sublime to the ridiculous.

When Tonks chipped ahead Wigglesworth made a total hash of dealing with the bouncing ball and Tonks kicked ahead again before gleefully body-sledging over in the snow for only Edinburgh's third try of the tournament.

Greig Laidlaw landed the conversion to make it 14-7 at the break but Sarries pulled clear with four second-half tries.

Farrell, perhaps struggling with the conditions, missed a couple more shots at goal but he played a major part in the second of Ashton's brace.

The fly-half looked set to go for goal but instead kicked with pin-point accuracy to the corner and the flying Ashton showed he is the ultimate poacher as he took the kick at full pelt on the bounce and dived over.

Saracens extended their lead when the home pack worked up a head of steam and sent former England prop Stevens barrelling over from an attacking line-out, with Farrell converting the latter score.

Entering the closing stages, it looked as though a fourth try was beyond them but Hodgson dummied over to secure the bonus point with five minutes to go and with the last play of the game Wyles latched onto yet another kick to score their fifth try and ensure Sarries leave unlamented Vicarage Road on a high.

Team line-ups

Saracens: 15 Chris Wyles; 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Owen Farrell, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 David Strettle; 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth; 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Schalk Brits, 3 Matt Stevens, 4 Steve Borthwick (capt), 5 George Kruis, 6 Kelly Brown, 7 Will Fraser, 8 Ernst Joubert.

Replacements: 16 John Smit, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Nick Fenton-Wells, 21 Neil de Kock, 22 Joel Tomkins, 23 Duncan Taylor.

Edinburgh: 15. Greig Tonks; 14. Douglas Fife, 13. Ben Cairns, 12. Matt Scott, 11. Tim Visser; 10. Greig Laidlaw, 9. Richie Rees; 1. Robin Hislop, 2. Steve Lawrie, 3. Willem Nel, 4. Grant Gilchrist, 5. Sean Cox, 6. Stuart McInally, 7. Dimitri Basilaia, 8. Netani Talei.

Replacements: 16. Andy Titterrell, 17. Alex Allan, 18. Geoff Cross, 19. David Denton, 20. Roddy Grant, 21. Piers Francis, 22. Ben Atiga, 23. Lee Jones,