Leinster 33
Connacht 7
LEINSTER WILL TOP the URC table overnight after signing off at the RDS with a comfortable 33-7 defeat of Connacht.
This was the final game at the RDS before redevelopment works at the stadium and the home side marked the occasion by putting five tries on a Connacht side who looked ready for the summer break, with Jack Conan, Jimmy O’Brien (2), Ciarán Frawley, and Dan Sheehan all crossing for the hosts.
The result leaves Leinster top of the URC ahead of tomorrow’s final run of regular season games while Connacht’s campaign comes to a disappointing end. Pete Wilkins’ team needed a bonus-point win tonight to keep their lingering playoff hopes alive but will now finish in the bottom half of the table.
Leinster now have 65 points to their name and will watch on with interest tomorrow as Munster (63 points) host Ulster after the Bulls (61) visit the Sharks – the province are guaranteed to finish in the top three and enjoy a home quarter-final.
A dominant first-half performance put Leo Cullen’s men in the driving seat, the home side building up a 21-0 lead across the opening 40.
They dominated the possession and territory across the early stages and broke the deadlock in the eighth minute, Conan peeling off a scrum to score with two Connacht defenders handing out of him.
Sam Prendergast, who may well end up playing in the green of Connacht next season, tapped over the extra two points.
All eyes were on Prendergast as discussions around his potential loan move west continue, and the young out-half had some lovely touches with ball in hand.
The 21-year-old was central to Leinster’s second try, a lovely first-phase score orchestrated from a lineout in the Connacht 22. Leinster won the ball in the air and a sweeping move saw Frawley slip a pass to Prendergast, who showed a clever dummy and step before sending Jimmy O’Brien over.
Prendergast added his second conversion and Connacht already looked in real danger of suffering a heavy beating.
Outside of the odd flash of smart footwork from fullback Santiago Cordero and centre David Hawkshaw, little was going right for the visitors, who had seen their playoff ambitions seriously dented by defeats to Munster and Stormers over the last month.
Connacht struggled to build pressure in the Leinster half and when they did, their execution let them down. Confusion at the lineout saw Dave Heffernan throw the ball straight into Leinster hands before Jack Carty overcooked a kick and sent the ball bouncing out on the full.
Leinster, on the other hand, looked capable of scoring with every venture forward.
They added their third try in the 23rd minute. A quick lineout caught Connacht off guard, Rónan Kelleher throwing short to Scott Penny at the front before taking the return and barrelling into Heffernan. The Leinster hooker was put to ground but the ball was quickly recycled inside, with Prendergast on hand to slip Conan through, the back row breaking the line before his offload sent Frawley over. Prendergast again made no mistake from the tee.
Chances for Connacht were few and far between, and largely dealt with comfortably by Leinster. Toward the end of the half a lineout in the Leinster 22 ended with Connacht pushing for the tryline only for Ross Molony to come up with a turnover.
Minutes later Cian Prendergast darted for the corner but a brilliant Tommy O’Brien tackle smashed the ball out of his grip, ensuring the visitors went in scoreless at the break.
Leinster started the second half searching for the bonus point try and a knock-on from Heffernan on the line gave Cullen’s men an ideal opportunity to strike. From the resulting scrum Leinster hammered at the line before Ed Byrne appeared to find a way over – only for a TMO review to cross the score out.
Rhys Ruddock then departed to a standing ovation after what could well be the backrower’s final appearance for the province ahead of his retirement.
Leinster went again, carrying hard at the line again before spinning the ball wide to stretch the Connacht defence. Frawley hit Rob Russell on the wing with the tryline calling but in an acre of space, the winger dropped the ball forward.
They continued to play nearly all the rugby in the Connacht 22 but couldn’t find the killer touch – Cian Prendergast coming up with a turnover as blue jerseys burrowed at the line again. Leinster were further frustrated when a TMO review led to Michael Ala’alatoa being yellow-carded after the prop’s shoulder caught Caolin Blade high.
The bonus-point score finally arrived with just over an hour played, Dan Sheehan with a trademark peel off the maul after good work by Molony to win the ball at the lineout. Harry Byrne, only on the pitch a matter of minutes, sent the conversion wide as Prendergast shifted to fullback.
Connacht were in real danger of being nilled but managed to put themselves on the scoreboard with the next passage of play, Conor Oliver and Shane Jennings combining down the right wing before Jennings played in Colm Reilly, who ran in behind the posts, the score converted by Tom Daly.
Yet that was as good as it got for Connacht, and Leinster took the momentum back with a superb solo score from Jimmy O’Brien – who was excellent on both sides of the ball throughout.
Breaking down the left flank from inside the Leinster half, O’Brien had options to his left and right but backed himself, slicing through two Connacht defenders to sprint home from deep. Prendergast converted and some Leinster supporters began to head for the exits.
This wasn’t the most complete Leinster performance but the province got the job done without any stress on the night, and gave themselves a chance of finishing in the top two. Now they wait.
Leinster scorers:
Tries – Conan, J O’Brien (2), Frawley, Sheehan
Conversions – Prendergast [4/4], H Byrne [0/1]
Connacht scorers:
Try – Reilly
Conversion – Daly [1/1]
