Glasgow Warriors 18
Leinster 34
Ryan Bailey reports from Scotstoun
THIS WAS QUITE the statement from Leinster, so much so that it’s difficult to imagine how this oft-perilous trip to Scotstoun could have gone any better for Leo Cullen’s side — they bullied Glasgow into submission, ran in four tries to gather a bonus point and seized complete control of Pool 3 along the way.
On this showing, it’s a wonder how they had not won here in six years but Leinster emphatically ended that hoodoo with an imposing performance inspired by the masterful Johnny Sexton, who accounted for 17 of his side’s points.
Two tries in either half, including a brace for Cian Healy, ensured the eastern province were always a step ahead of Glasgow, who are now staring down the barrel in Europe after back-to-back defeats.
Leinster, though, are primed for a tilt in this competition and laid down a serious marker of intent as their campaign gathers momentum — they’re building up a head of steam nicely.
And it was no coincidence that they produced their season’s best with Sexton back in the harness, with the out-half’s enduring class shining through as he pulled the strings and set the standard for the visitors.
There was a point in the first half — just after Glasgow had assumed the lead through Stuart Hogg’s fine try — when he became increasingly frustrated by the referee, but he used that to fuel an indomitable display.
Booed as he made his way off with 10 minutes remaining, Sexton applauded the disgruntled natives back. Tongue in cheek, but no better way to silence the jeers. Job done, and no better man to do it.
Rhys Ruddock was named the sponsor’s man-of-the-match and certainly the entire Leinster pack had strong games, with Healy’s first-half double rounding off a display in the trenches that confirms he’s back to his best.
Noel Reid, too, would have enjoyed the moment he sidestepped and slalomed his way through a weary Glasgow defence in the closing minutes to ensure this was the perfect away day for his side. To a man, Leinster stood up again and they now park this competition with 10 points from 10.
Glasgow were no match for them, and ended the game battered and bruised with their European credentials in tatters. They shouldn’t have riled Sexton in the first half, and certainly paid the price — even if Hogg set the game alight after a scrappy opening.
A first solid footing at the set-piece launched the platform for the fullback to run at the Leinster defence from deep, scything between Robbie Henshaw and Barry Daly with an electric burst before powerfully swatting Luke McGrath aside.
Suddenly, Glasgow had front-foot ball in Leinster territory and they converted it into 10 points in the space of three minutes.
Finn Russell dissected the posts from the tee when white shirts were caught offside, and then the out-half’s deft grubber had Leinster scrambling after a glorious wraparound. Tommy Seymour was quickest to the bouncing ball and shinned it over the line for Hogg to add the finishing touch with millimetres to spare. That was as good as it got for the Scots.
Hogg, pumped up, clenched his fists when the TMO eventually confirmed the grounding, but the momentum of the game swung again when his booming kick trickled dead and we came back 80 metres for a Leinster line-out.
From there, the visitors turned the screw.
After a period of sustained pressure, Sexton kicked for the corner, the rolling maul rumbled towards the line and Jack Conan carried with a typically combative surge for Healy to crash over the whitewash with Furlong on his shoulder. 10-10, which soon became 17-10 just before the break.
Leinster were motoring all of a sudden, and the second score was all about the forwards too. Sexton, into the wind, turned down the shot at goal — why would you not? — and the pack did the rest, completely obliterating the hosts up front, with Healy emerging to power over from close-range.
Sexton arrowed the conversion between the posts from a tight angle, and responded with a punch of the air as the players headed for the sheds. The 32-year-old has always been quick to get in referees’ ears with complaints — justifiably, or not — and his temperament here, albeit a little fiery, was the backbone of his impassioned display.
He left his mark all over this game, no more so than when a trademark wraparound involving Scott Fardy unlocked the Glasgow door and created daylight between the sides.
Having stood firm at one end, Leinster pounced at the other with the sort of clinical edge Cullen has been talking about all season. McGrath’s initial burst brought them within metres of the Glasgow line and several phases later, Sexton dotted down under the posts.
The forwards, once again, had done the hard work and when McGrath fired it to his left, Fardy’s reverse offload for Sexton sent the out-half tearing through for Leinster’s third. The give-and-go was vintage Sexton, and Fardy’s contribution a moment of quality.
Still though, Glasgow wouldn’t go away.
They put Leinster under pressure from the restart and eventually created the overlap on this right-hand touchline to expose Leinster out wide and reduce the deficit through Seymour after Hogg had straightened and stood Dave Kearney up. Game on.
But Glasgow’s race, both on the afternoon and in their campaign, was run. Russell knocked over a penalty from in front of the posts to give the natives false home, as Leinster then finished strongly to secure a victory of huge significance.
Sexton was pulled back off the ball by Peter Horne and he duly stepped up to add to his own tally for the day, and Reid completed the job after Joey Carbery’s switch pass to send Leinster top.
They’re well on their way.
Glasgow scorers:Tries: Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour
Penalties: Finn Russell [2 from 2], Stuart Hogg [0 from 1]
Conversions: Finn Russell [1 from 2]Leinster scorers:Tries: Cian Healy [2], Johnny Sexton, Noel Reid
Penalties: Johnny Sexton [2 from 2]
Conversions: Johnny Sexton [3 from 3], Ross Byrne [1 from 1]
GLASGOW WARRIORS: 15. Stuart Hogg, 14. Tommy Seymour, 13. Sam Johnson (Nick Grigg 88’), 12. Peter Horne, 11. Leonardo Sarto (Lee Jones 60’), 10. Finn Russell, 9. Ali Price (Henry Pyrgos’); 1. Jamie Bhatti (Alex Allan 60’), 2. George Turner (Pat MacArthur 64’), 3. Zander Ferguson, 4. Tim Swinson, 5. Jonny Gray, 6. Ryan Wilson (captain) (Rob Harley 26’), 7. Callum Gibbins, 8. Adam Ashe.
LEINSTER: 15. Joey Carbery, 14. Fergus McFadden, 13. Robbie Henshaw, 12. Noel Reid, 11. Barry Daly (Dave Kearney 41’), 10. Johnny Sexton (Ross Byrne 68’), 9. Luke McGrath (Jamison Gibson-Park 62’); 1. Cian Healy (Jack McGrath 50’), 2. Sean Cronin (James Tracy 50’), 3. Tadhg Furlong (Michael Bent 68’), 4. Devin Toner, 5. Scott Fardy (James Ryan 55’), 6. Rhys Ruddock, 7. Josh van der Flier (Dan Leavy 50’), 8. Jack Conan.
Referee: Jerome Garces.
Attendance: 7,351.
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Fantastic result. Looking forward to watching it later.
Ruddock form 6 in ireland the past 6 months – he probably on form deserves to start v SA but wd be a big call from Schmidt.
Much like Munster winning there last year, shutting up those horrible, horrible Scottish fans was very sweet.
@Peter Brophy: They booed at literally everything
@John Boyle: I think they have a large contingent of Glasgow Rangers supporters ..Nuff said..
Super win!!
A great win. I can relax now and enjoy the rest of the weekend matches.
@Gary: I concur
It’s a mystery how Rhys Ruddock isn’t Ireland’s first-choice blindside flanker. At this stage, I think it might best if Peter O’Mahony and C.J. Stander got injured so Schmidt would have no option but to select Ruddock.
@beni gabor: what an odd thing to say
@beni gabor: I think Heaslip may have played his last international. Ruddock will definitely be involved in November internationals
@Darren Byrne: how does Heaslip come into this?
@Conor Paddington: as he has been the most consistent back row in the irish set up for years but being out injured means someone else will move in to the 23. Ruddock will definitely be involved. With the likes of Conan leavey jdv all playing so well its going to be hard enough getting back in to the leinster team regularly let alone the irish set up by the time of the 6 nations.
@beni gabor: awful thing to say. I’d rather they were fit and he had to make a choice across 6 or 7 fit world class backrows.
@Elma Phudd: There’s no way Ireland have 6 or 7 world class backrowers. Maybe two or three at a stretch. There are a lot of good players out there who could be brought into the fold and introduced to international rugby to see where they stand. Stander and O’Mahony are very limited players
@Darren Byrne: He should have played his last international years ago, as should Rob Kearney and we all know it.
@beni gabor: Jesus, I’m a Leinster fan, but can’t agree with them being limited. Christ You don’t get picked to lead the Lions in a test match by being average joe.
@Elma Phudd: Gatland realised the error of his ways and dumped O’Mahony out of the side in favour of an out-of-position Sam Warburton. O’Mahony’s line-out work is sometimes to the fore, and you’re glad he’s in the team. His game is unremarkable outside the line-out, so when that’s not a centrepoint of the game, he’s largely ineffective.
Stander isn’t nimble enough to wrong-foot tacklers, and his decision-making when it comes to choosing whether to pass or run is sometimes quite poor. He’s not a cerebral player.
I don’t mean like serious injuries. Just a dislocated shoulder or something like that to keep them away from the team and unable to corrupt Ireland’s play with their backward mindset
@newbie: yet I’m here 4 years. Must have been in my blind spot up to now! I’ll put him back there.
@Rochelle: Rubbish, just your usual Leinster hating vitriol Rochelle.
@beni gabor: You do realise Ruddock captained the last tour, yeah?
@Rochelle: One of our very best players in a successful Autumn internal series less than 12 months ago.
@David Supple: pure poison laced with incredible ignorance
@Paddy O’Brien: *International. Jaysus.
Lots if us might been happy to leave with a LBP but to come away with 5 is amazing. Great performerance despite the bad conditions.
Serious contenders. Outside of the back 3 maybe, their combinations could match almost any team in Europe at this stage. Add Seanie, Isa Ringrose and Heaslip (if he can get back in the line up) and there is a legitimate claim to knocking Sarries off their perch.
@Johnny 5: I’d say Saracens would beat Leinster easily
@Johnny 5: don’t forget Lowe is yet to arrive
@Matt F: Carberry FB, Nacewa on one wing (or one of the younger guys if the improve) and Lowe on the other is pretty décent I would have thought. Irish centre partnership, and best 10 in Europe. All in all a potentially excellent backline.
@Andrew Hurley: I wouldn’t like to see 2 NIQ players in the back 3 at the same time when we have loads of young talent there in Carbery, Byrne, OLaughlin, Larmour and Daly. Those 5 players could have big futures in the green jersey, so it would be poor form if their development was blocked
@Rudiger McMonihan: they’d develop a lot better if Leinster go on a serious run in both the pro 14 and Europe. A successful Leinster side will be good for all the young players. Have a team of 23 young Irish players getting beat is no good for anyone.
A good win masking a lot of weaknesses
Especially midfield,huge amount of missed tackles again, needs to addressed to proceed.
@Martin McKenna: A great win
@Martin McKenna: Ringrose will help leaps and bounds, don’t worry too much.
Hope Daly’s injury isn’t anything too serious. Have been enjoying watching him play.
@Ciara Baines: he reminds me of the old French wingers..
It’s possible a long trip back from SA affected Glasgow in the first two rounds, all that being said I thought we managed the conditions superbly, especially in the first half. Delighted for Cian Healy to get them tries. MOTM was never in doubt for Ruddock. Hopefully we’ll have Ringrose and Isa back for the Chief’s games and James Lowe bedded in, I think player management may well become a problem, making sure everyone gets game time!!
@David Lawlor: When is Lowe due in?
@Dave Murray: His team in the Mitre cup have proceeded on to the next round, so he could be a while yet.
10pts after only 2 games means Leinster will almost certainly go through to the knockouts. Last year you needed 16 and the year before that 19. It’s hard to see them not making up that difference. I think today’s weather really helped them given the superiority of their pack and the injuries of Byrne, OLaughlin, Ringrose and Nacewa
@Rudiger McMonihan: need to rack up the points as we saw going to France in the semi was very very tough. The more the merrier
Why use two words when you can use one. The eastern province is called Leinster!
@Reg: you’ve obviously never had much interest i writing…?
@Conor Paddington: I’m not reading a novel or some great work of literature, it’s a match report and I know where Leinster is!
@Reg: Don’t let something so trivial get to you so much, it can’t be good for you.
@Reg: not as annoying as the indo who only refer to Leinster and Munster as the blues and the reds.
Great win today and 10 points is excellent from their first two matches. I’d worry about the high amount of missed tackles though.
“Finn Russell dissected the posts from the tee” … there’s a howler I haven’t seen in a while! “Bisected” is cliche you were thinking of perhaps?