URC: Leinster 54 Scarlets 5
Eight tries, a half-century of points, the vast majority of the internationals now back in the fold and a season high attendance of 15,664 at the RDS – on the surface Leinster are building nicely ahead of next week’s visit of Munster to the Aviva Stadium.
The reality is less clearcut and altogether more frustrating for the Leinster coaching staff, if such a hammering of the Scarlets can indeed be frustrating. For the majority of the first half and the opening 10 minutes of the second, errors, sloppy tackling and Scarlets’ ability to frustrate asked questions aplenty of this Leinster side, ones they ultimately answered emphatically in the closing stages.
The cricket World Cup final is not until Sunday but Leinster threatened a score akin to that sport with their attack in the opening quarter. On his first home start in Leinster blue, Sam Prendergast was assured, constantly calling the ball on himself behind forward decoys and challenging himself to unpick the Scarlets defence.
One such move with only 30 seconds on the clock saw the outhalf find Garry Ringrose on his outside. Leinster’s co-captain got his pass away but was unceremoniously – and dangerously – dumped on his back in a tip-tackle. Scarlets centre Johnny Williams was sent to the sinbin, fortunate with the colour of the card in that Ringrose’s back bore the brunt of the landing.
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For all the attacking endeavour, Leinster had their defence to thank for the first score. Just inside their own half, the other co-captain, James Ryan, pilfered the ball on the floor. On the counter, Jamie Osborne wouldn’t have thanked Max Deegan for the floated pass that invited an onrushing defender, but his sleight of hand sent Prendergast down the flank just before the big hit arrived. The outhalf linked with Jamison Gibson-Park on halfway, taking a return pass to open the scoring.
From the high of his first professional try, Prendergast was literally send crashing back down to earth minutes later when attempting to delay his pass, copping a monster tackle reminiscent of those regularly endured by another outhalf wearing blue.
A handful of phases later an offload sent Hugo Keenan, who was at times mesmeric with his footwork and ability to beat defenders, close to the line. With the defence sucked in, Gibson-Park added a second try assist with a floated long pass to Jimmy O’Brien.
Minutes later the third try of the half came after yet more intricate backline play nearly sent Jordan Larmour over on first phase. Deegan profited seconds later to bash over from close range: 19-0 up with 16 minutes on the clock, Leinster were sitting pretty.
It didn’t last. Handling errors and missed tackles racked up. Discipline was also an issue, Leinster giving away seven penalties in the first 40. Off one such indiscretion, Scarlets kicked to the corner and used inside centre Williams to barge through Prendergast off the lineout. He didn’t reach the line, but moments later went one better when stepping outside the attempted tackle of Joe McCarthy and then powering through Keenan.
The try came in a 25-minute period where Leinster struggled to get out of their 22. Ryan, McCarthy and Van der Flier all forced defensive turnovers in contact only for team-mates to ruin the chance to clear with further indiscretions. The RDS faithful grew frustrated with referee Hollie Davidson’s officiating at the breakdown, not to mention a particularly long scrum advantage that allowed the Scarlets to continue their territorial domination.
Leinster’s frustrations continued into the second half. Prendergast missed out on an attempted 50:22 by inches when the ball went out on the full – even if the home crowd thought otherwise – while Osborne’s forward pass cost Gibson-Park a score after O’Brien’s break from deep.
The bonus-point try on 50 minutes did quash some of the negative feeling, the magnificent Keenan turning try-saver to provider. After denying Kieron Hardy’s scintillating break with a last-ditch tackle, moments later the fullback took the ball into the heart of the defence, turning Ryan Conbeer inside out with a dummy on the outside before turning inside instead, sending Ringrose away under the posts.
The five points for the league table were now secured, but Leo Cullen’s frustrations nevertheless saw a triple change with Tadhg Furlong and Dan Sheehan coming on in the frontrow while Ross Byrne entered the fray at 10. It was a somewhat harsh hook on Prendergast, whose handful of touches had been noteworthy, but this had descended into a game where Leinster were desperate for the control of an experienced hand.
The changes were quickly vindicated. Furlong was prominent with his passing game, Sheehan with his kicking, much to the delight of the home crowd when his grubber nearly sent Keenan into the corner. The hooker’s second touch was much more on brand, a powerful carry in the wide channel building momentum, the attack culminating with Osborne dancing through a stretched defensive line.
From there Leinster turned on the charm. Forward offloads, balls scooped off the deck, the razzmatazz was firmly on show to dispel the memory of a frustrating period of play. The endeavour led to further scores, Jack Boyle and Osborne again crashing over from close range. Scott Williams ended the game in the sinbin after another high tackle, this time on debutant scrumhalf Fintan Gunne.
Proceedings were ended when Keenan, deservedly named player of the match, notched another try assist, feeding Deegan for an easy run-in as the clock ticked past 80.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 4 mins: Prendergast try 5-0; 9: O’Brien try, Prendergast con 12-0; 16: Deegan try, Prendergast con 19-0; 27: Williams try 19-5; Half-time 19-5; 50 Ringrose try, Prendergast con, 26-5; 61: Osborne try, Byrne con 33-5; 66: Boyle try, Byrne con 40-5; 74: Osborne try Byrne con 47-5; 80: Deegan try, Byrne con 54-5.
LEINSTER: H Keenan; J Larmour, G Ringrose (co-capt), J Osborne, J O’Brien; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, T Clarkson; J McCarthy, J Ryan (co-capt); M Deegan, J van der Flier, C Doris.
Replacements: D Sheehan for Kelleher, T Furlong for Clarkson and R Byrne for Prendergast (all 51 mins); J Boyle for Porter, R Molony for Ryan, F Gunne for Gibson-Park (all 61); C Frawley for Ringrose (68); S Penny for McCarthy (71).
SCARLETS: T Rogers; T Lewis, J Davies (capt), J Williams, R Conbeer; C Titcombe, K Hardy; S Thomas, S Evans, H O’Connor; A Craig, J Price; B Williams, T Leatherbarrow, C Tuipulotu.
Replacements: W Jones for Thomas (46 mins); M Jones for Craig (51); I Shenton for B Williams, I Nicholas for Rogers (both 57); S Williams for J Williams, R Elias for Evans (both 62); A Hughes for Hardy, S O’Connor for H O’Connor (both 65).
Yellow cards: J Williams (1 min), S Williams (77).
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland).
