A hat-trick of tries from Adam Byrne helped Leinster to a bonus-point win against Zebre, as Leo Cullen’s men return to the summit of the Pro12.
Debutant Tom Daly and Jack Conan also crossed the line for the eastern province, after Leinster were given an early scare in Parma.
Cullen made seven changes to the team that beat Connacht, with Lansdowne clubman and Ireland 7s captain Daly making his first appearance and prop Andrew Porter debuting in the number one jersey.
However, Zebre’s Dries van Schalkwyk drove over the line for the game’s first try after 17 minutes to give the home side the lead, with Mike McCarthy looking on from the sin bin. Canna Carlo added the extras.
Daly however, ensured he had a debut to remember, to get Leinster back in the game. A supreb chip by Michael Bent sent Ross Bryne free, before passing to Daly to get Leinster’s opening try of the game.
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Daly, on his first appearance, scored Leinster's first try. Matteo Ciambelli / INPHO
Matteo Ciambelli / INPHO / INPHO
As McCarthy restored Leinster to 15 men, Carlo put the home side back in front from a penalty. But a sublime break from Barry Daly set up Byrne to ensure Leinster went into the break with a two-point advantage, after Isa Nacewa pulled the conversion wide.
Shortly after the restart, Jamison Gibson-Park’s pass cut out three Zebre players, for Byrne to ground his second try. Conan then put the game to bed and secured the bonus point with a try of his own just before the hour mark.
Byrne's treble secured him the man-of-the-match award. Matteo Ciambelli / INPHO
Matteo Ciambelli / INPHO / INPHO
But Byrne wasn’t finished yet and he completed his treble to wrap-up a satifactory afternoon’s work from the league leaders.
Zebre scorers: Tries: Dries van Schalkwyk
Conversions: Canna Carlo
Penalties: Canna Carlo
Leinster scorers:
Tries: Tom Daly, Adam Byrne x3, Jack Conan
Conversions: Isa Nacewa x4
ZEBRE: Edoardo Padovani (Carlo Engelbrecht 74′), Giulio Bisegni, Matteo Pratichetti (Simone Balocchi 70′), Tommaso Castello, Giovanbattista Venditti; Carlo Canna, Marcello Violi (Guglielmo Palazzani 70′) ; Andrea Lovotti (Bruno Postiglioni 63′), Tommaso d’Apice (Carlo Festuccia 66′), Dario Chistolini (Pietro Ceccarelli 54′), Quintin Geldenhuys, George Biagi (capt) (Federico Ruzza 23′), Maxime Mbanda (Derick Minnie 70′), Johan Meyer, Dries van Schalkwyk.
LEINSTER: Isa Nacewa (capt) (Hugo Keenan 71′), Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Noel Reid, Barry Daly, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park (Nick McCarthy 71′); Andrew Porter (Peter Dooley 45′), Richardt Strauss (James Tracy 45′), Michael Bent (Mike Ross 45′), Mike McCarthy (Dominic Ryan 69′), Hayden Triggs (Mick Kearney 62′), Dan Leavy, Sean O’Brien (Rhys Ruddock 57′), Jack Conan.
Referee: Nigel Owens [WRU].
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Adam Byrne shines as Leinster power past Zebre to return to the top of the Pro12
Zebre 10
Leinster 33
A hat-trick of tries from Adam Byrne helped Leinster to a bonus-point win against Zebre, as Leo Cullen’s men return to the summit of the Pro12.
Debutant Tom Daly and Jack Conan also crossed the line for the eastern province, after Leinster were given an early scare in Parma.
Cullen made seven changes to the team that beat Connacht, with Lansdowne clubman and Ireland 7s captain Daly making his first appearance and prop Andrew Porter debuting in the number one jersey.
However, Zebre’s Dries van Schalkwyk drove over the line for the game’s first try after 17 minutes to give the home side the lead, with Mike McCarthy looking on from the sin bin. Canna Carlo added the extras.
Daly however, ensured he had a debut to remember, to get Leinster back in the game. A supreb chip by Michael Bent sent Ross Bryne free, before passing to Daly to get Leinster’s opening try of the game.
As McCarthy restored Leinster to 15 men, Carlo put the home side back in front from a penalty. But a sublime break from Barry Daly set up Byrne to ensure Leinster went into the break with a two-point advantage, after Isa Nacewa pulled the conversion wide.
Shortly after the restart, Jamison Gibson-Park’s pass cut out three Zebre players, for Byrne to ground his second try. Conan then put the game to bed and secured the bonus point with a try of his own just before the hour mark.
But Byrne wasn’t finished yet and he completed his treble to wrap-up a satifactory afternoon’s work from the league leaders.
ZEBRE: Edoardo Padovani (Carlo Engelbrecht 74′), Giulio Bisegni, Matteo Pratichetti (Simone Balocchi 70′), Tommaso Castello, Giovanbattista Venditti; Carlo Canna, Marcello Violi (Guglielmo Palazzani 70′) ; Andrea Lovotti (Bruno Postiglioni 63′), Tommaso d’Apice (Carlo Festuccia 66′), Dario Chistolini (Pietro Ceccarelli 54′), Quintin Geldenhuys, George Biagi (capt) (Federico Ruzza 23′), Maxime Mbanda (Derick Minnie 70′), Johan Meyer, Dries van Schalkwyk.
LEINSTER: Isa Nacewa (capt) (Hugo Keenan 71′), Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Noel Reid, Barry Daly, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park (Nick McCarthy 71′); Andrew Porter (Peter Dooley 45′), Richardt Strauss (James Tracy 45′), Michael Bent (Mike Ross 45′), Mike McCarthy (Dominic Ryan 69′), Hayden Triggs (Mick Kearney 62′), Dan Leavy, Sean O’Brien (Rhys Ruddock 57′), Jack Conan.
Referee: Nigel Owens [WRU].
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