The Capital outfit routed Newport Gwent Dragons 43-3 at Murrayfield on a day which was also memorable for Chris Paterson's 28-point haul, which surpassed his previous best in Edinburgh colours – 27 coincidentally against the same opposition, away, th
ree years ago.
Cairns said: "Having seen the way Manchester United blew away Arsenal in midweek, despite everybody predicting a close game, we admired their clinical edge to the extent of trying to copy it. Part of our talk beforehand was of trying to do the same as United and, although we didn't manage the equivalent of their two early goals, we did try to make sure we took every chance that came our way the same as they did at the Emirates.
"In the windy, wet and cold conditions we knew it would be a game where capitalising on opportunities would decide and while it took until the last play for the (fourth try) bonus point, it was a reward for putting our heads down early on and grinding things out.
"There was a strong element of wearing down before we were able to apply the finishing touches."
Cairns – Edinburgh's top try scorer for the season with seven – had a huge part to play in those two long-range intercept tries within the final three minutes, the second scored by himself, which set the seal on a club-record fifth straight league win. But if any rugby score could be compared to United's breakaway third goal against Arsenal, it was the first try. Ally Hogg ambushed a Dragons attack to feed Cairns who, in turn, released Chris Paterson on a 50-metre dash to the line.
What's more, such smash and grab tactics did not emerge by accident with Cairns paying warm tribute to Scottish Institute of Sport speed coach Malcolm Fairweather for his input.
He said: "Malcolm has been coming to our training twice a week and encouraging us to accelerate, support the move and maintain speed throughout. This approach applies particularly to the backs and back row so it was good that these were the positions involved in Chris's try.
"When it comes to our weekly review ahead of Sunday's final match of the season at Cardiff, I have a feeling that Chris's try will get top marks for execution of what we've been trying to achieve with Malcolm."
To anticipate one opposition move so as to notch an intercept try might be regarded as fortunate, to do so twice can only be clever planning, not least because Craig Hamilton was in the sin-bin for ball-killing during the late flurry. Now Cairns looks forward to repeating his scoring feat.
"My tries seem to be like buses, in that when one comes along another inevitably follows.
"I got back-to-back tries against Glasgow this season and three in the last two matches means that I'm equal with my tally from my debut season with Edinburgh and I'd love to go one better, although the main thing is that we round off the season by extending our winning run.
"It will be Cardiff's last game at the Arms Park before moving to a new stadium, though, so that will add to the occasion."
It was an emotional Murrayfield experience on Saturday with Edinburghers Hugo Southwell, Matt Mustchin and Ben Meyer all taking a farewell home bow from off the bench before moving to pastures new next season. Meyer was only on the pitch for a minute when he popped up in support of Hogg down the blindside of a scrum to cross for a try.
All the Edinburgh tries – the other came from John Houston when he rounded off a tap penalty move instigated by Mike Blair – arrived after an insipid first half which the Scots edged 9-3, Paterson slotting three of his eventual five penalties to add to four conversions in a 100 per cent kicking return.
Little wonder Paterson will be the subject of a special feature on the psychological aspect of his goal-kicking to be broadcast on BBC's Inside Sport programme. The fact his efforts came despite wind and rain saw him dubbed "the world's best" by Cairns.
Others, too, earned notable mentions from Edinburgh coach Andy Robinson after an encounter which, ironically, saw Dragons' Jason Tovey open the scoring.
"We got 48 points last year and now have 50. That was our best defensive display and we adapted well to the conditions.
"Look at the way Geoff Cross has developed. With every ball carry he made five-ten metres. When the ball was on the floor he was pouncing on it. He scrummaged well, too, in a young front row with Kyle Traynor coming in and Ryan Grant coming off the bench.
"Chris Paterson has pleased me the way he has played all through the year and Mike Blair ran the show in difficult conditions.
"When you have players who are leading that is important and Ally Hogg has also played consistently.
"He's been there doing the bits and pieces and I think that's important," said Robinson after an ending which could not have been better scripted so far as sending the fans – all 2105 of them – away happy at home season's end.
Scorers:
Edinburgh: Tries: Houston, Meyer, Paterson, Cairns;
Conversions: Paterson (4);
Penalties: Paterson (5).
Dragons: Penalty: Tovey.
Edinburgh: Paterson, Turnbull (Houston 46), Cairns, De Luca, Webster, Godman (Southwell), Blair (c) (Meyer 65), Traynor, Ford (Kelly 68), Cross (Grant 68), C Hamilton, J Hamilton (MacLeod 61), Newlands, Hogg, Macdonald (Mustchin 62).
Dragons: Morgan, M Thomas, Gomer-Davies, Sidey (Dollman 65), Brew, Tovey, Evans (Walker 75), Gustafson, Willis (c), (Jones 61), R Thomas (N Hall 61), A Hall, Charteris, MacDonald (Lydiate 40), Evans, Hill.
