Benetton 5
Leinster 35
JACK CONAN TURNED in a Player of the Match performance as Leinster dismantled an underwhelming Benetton to cement their place at the top of the United Rugby Championship table.
Conan — who was linked this week with a possible move to French giants Racing 92 — scored one of four first-half tries as Leinster put their hosts to the sword in a clinical opening 40.
It was a routine tune-up for Leo Cullen’s side ahead of next week’s Croke Park showdown against Munster, though there will be concerns over the fitness of both Ronan Kelleher and Jimmy O’Brien who came off injured in the first half.
Leinster opened their account in the 10th minute when Benetton loosehead Mirco Spagnolo collapsed a lineout maul as the visitors looked primed to drive over, leaving referee Craig Evans with no option but to award the penalty try.
Leinster needed little more than 60 seconds to double that early advantage. Ciarán Frawley, getting his first opportunity of the season to stake a claim on the 10 jersey, started a slick move with a dummy and offload on his own 22, and finished it a few passes later by running in virtually unopposed under the posts, before tacking on the extras to make it 14-0.
Conan then got in on the act, finishing in the corner for his third try of the campaign, before captain Caelan Doris powered over from close range for an early bonus point — both converted by Frawley to bring up a 28-0 lead with just 25 minutes played.
O’Brien’s knock shortly before the break prompted a backline reshuffle with Ross Byrne coming off the bench to take over at out-half and the impressive Frawley redeployed into midfield.
The intensity petered out in the second half as Cullen started to ring the changes, RG Snyman departing after 50 minutes of his debut to be replaced by Ryan Baird.
Baird then saw yellow following successive Leinster infringements at the breakdown, allowing Benetton to finally get on the scoresheet as replacement hooker Marco Manfredi came up with the ball following a determined lineout maul, before Lee Barron wrapped up Leinster’s victory late on.
BENETTON: Matt Gallagher; Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello, Malakai Fekitoa, Paolo Odogwu; Jacob Umaga (Leonardo Marin 56), Alessandro Garbisi (Andy Uren 50); Mirco Spagnolo (Enzo Avaca 58), Siua Maile (Marco Manfredi 56), Simone Ferrari (Destiny Aminu 58); Niccolo Cannone, Riccardo Favretto (Federico Ruzza 45); Seb Negri (Aminu 18-26, Lorenzo Cannone 45), Manuel Zuliani (Giulio Marini 56), Michele Lamaro.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O’Brien (Ross Byrne 35), Garry Ringrose (Scott Penny 70), Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Ciarán Frawley, Jamison-Gibson Park (Fintan Gunne 67); Andrew Porter (Michael Milne 56), Ronan Kelleher (Lee Barron 11), Tadhg Furlong (Tom Clarkson 56); Joe McCarthy (Brian Deeny 56), RG Snyman (Ryan Baird 50); Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris.
Referee: Craig Evans
