Updated 17.50
Leinster 24
Ulster 11
AFTER AN INTER-PROVINCIAL contest that was frustratingly scrappy rather than sensational, the sight of Jamie Heaslip leaving the field injured will take the gloss off Leinster’s convincing win.
Nursing an apparent shoulder injury, the eastern province’s captain was replaced after 30 minutes by Josh van der Flier – himself a late addition to the squad after Shane Jennings pulled out of the warm-up with a hamstring.
“Jamie got a bang on the shoulder,” said forwards coach Leo Cullen post-match, “I’m not too sure how bad it is at the minute.
“He did it, but played on for about 10 minutes. I think he got a bang on his AC [joint], he’s waved up to me, so… he’s just getting assessed there at the moment.”
With a full house watching on at the RDS, Ian Madigan provided all but five of Leinster’s points, including an opportunistic try after half-time to give Ulster a 10-point deficit.
Despite the visitors responding almost instantly through Wiehahn Herbst, they rarely looked capable of stringing enough phases together to wear down or reel in Leinster.
It took until the 14th minute for a scoring chance, a Ruan Pienaar penalty from the halfway line than dipped on to the crossbar. Leinster were unable to exit their half, however, and within a minute the Springbok was presented with an opportunity inside the opposition half. His second kick was sweet and straight between the posts.
The home side’s first foray in to the opposition 22 stirred the crowd from an afternoon slumber, but Ulster spoiled the move effectively and Madigan made it a level game after 20 minutes.
The opening quarter had promised great physicality with Tommy Bowe and man-of-the-match Jack Conan laying down the early markers in contact. However, as the game wore on, both sides became ragged. And, though Leinster would outscore Ulster by two penalties to three to lead 9 – 6 at half-time, the nadir came with a series of panicked and sloppy errors that culminated in Isaac Boss and Zane Kirchner getting in each other’s way to knock the ball out of play.
The penalty that pushed Leinster into the lead at half-time also pushed Dan Tuohy to the sin-bin, but on an early attack Ulster were fortunate that Leinster had to attack with 14 man after an awkward fall for Dave Kearney.
The white pack spoiled again, but were caught criminally napping when Madigan feigned to kick to touch and instead quick-tapped and dived over the try-line.
Grit
Perhaps it was through embarrassment that Ulster’s 14 men gritted their teeth to hit back immediately. After being invited into the Leinster 22 by a line-out error, the white pack shunned their backs and rumbled right of the posts where Herbst eventually grounded the game’s second try.
Despite the return of Tuohy, Ulster were unable to find their rhythm again. Leinster attacked with venom and at times showed real invention with an experienced midfield helping Madigan to keep pushing the pack over the gainline before the blues had to settle for another penalty.
With Pienaar’s kicking goals at a ratio of 40%, it was enough to keep the visitors at arm’s length and Neil Doak’s side were unable to pull within seven to give them hope of a losing bonus point to comfort them on the way back up the M1.
Instead, it was Leinster who continued pushing forward as the clock ticked down, and their young back row found the reward with the last play of the game. Conan, mere seconds after being awarded man of the match, crashed over to confirm his side’s dominance.
Scorers
Leinster
Tries: Madigan, Conan
Conversions: Madigan
Penalties: Madigan (4)
Ulster
Try: Herbst
Penalties: Pienaar (2)
Leinster
1. Jack McGrath (Michael Bent ’71)
2, Richardt Strauss (Sean Cronin ’55)
3. Mike Ross (Tadgh Furlong ’55)
4. Devin Toner
5. Mike McCarthy (Kane Douglas ’60)
6. Jack Conan
7. Jordi Murphy
8. Jamie Heaslip (Josh van der Flier ’30)
9. Isaac Boss (Luke McGrath ’68)
10. Ian Madigan
11. Dave Kearney
12. Gordon D’Arcy (Ben Te’o ’77)
13. Luke Fitzgerald
14. Fergus McFadden
15. Zane Kirchner (Jimmy Gopperth ’65)
Ulster
1. Callum Black (Andrew Warwick ’68)
2. Rory Best (Rob Herring ’76)
3. Wiehahn Herbst (Bronson Ross ’68)
4. Dan Tuohy
%. Franco Van Der Merwe (Alan O’Connor ’68)
6. Robbie Diack
7. Clive Ross (Sean Reidy ’60)
8. Roger Wilson
9. Ruan Pienaar (Paul Marshall ’76)
10. Paddy Jackson
11. Craig Gilroy
12. Stuart Olding
13. Darren Cave
14. Tommy Bowe (Luke Marshall ’48)
15. Peter Nelson
A concern for Ireland as well with the Six Nations on the horizon. Has been Leinster’s best player time and time again this season.
Can’t remember him going off injured too much before now.
The words ‘shoulder injury’ just send shivers down my spine… Not another SO’B please!
Supplements they say are to blame.
Hope it’s nothing long term. Despite the strange vendetta some people seem to have against him, Heaslip remains a vital part of the Ireland team. There is a serious gulf between him and his potential replacements at 8.
I love Heaslip
Get well soon Jamie.
But if he isn’t fit for the 6 nations it’s anyone’s guess who would wear no 8 for Ireland?
Boss and Darcy look like auld men playing with young fellas!
Leinster were far better when Mc Grath came on. Did you hear that MOC?
Toner, Murphy and Conan were immense.
Furlong looks like some bit of stuff too!
Nice to see Luke Fitzgerald with his dancing shoes on :)
Oh god yeah Boss seriously!
Boss and Darcy are about 34 so you arnt wrong…
Mind you Reddan is about the same age and still has a lot of pace.
Just look at the urgency when he whips the ball out of a ruck or takes a tap and go.
This season can’t be over soon enough for Ulster. Securing Champions Cup Rugby is all we have to play for.
Whilst we have no new signings coming in, the return of Henderson, Trimble and Henry with Williams and Pienaar hopefully returning to something like their best form, they’ll feel like new signings.
Of the 4 provinces only Connacht seem to have strung a consistent performance together .Even with the victory Leinster seemed disjointed,Ulster lacked finishing and Munster were a combination of both.On the plus side good individual performances from Irish qualified players bode well for national side for the six nations
Conan an absolute revelation.
Luke Fitz and Mc Fadden showed a superb superb bit of sack also.
The cumulative effect of Mc Fadden getting tackles in on back three opponents who’ve just fielded balls is massive when it happens 4 or 5 times.
I think we’ll be very difficult to handle with all our carriers on the field: Healy, Cronin (did you see his last carry before the Conan try?!?), SOB, Heaslip, Conan!
Toner excellent too.
One negative though is that MOC is like Kidney or Babs Keating in that he’s SO SLOW at recognising change: D’Arcy is finito and Reid needs to be given the 12 shirt now!
Most gritty shift we’ve put in in time!
Hate to make negative comments but a lot of our fortune was down to just how poor Pienaar and Dan Tuohy were. Shockin. Jordi Murphy put in a good shift . Good to have him back
The second half of the Pro 12 will be very interesting as most teams seem capable of been beaten on the road, if not at home. Munster are now only 1 point ahead of Leinster despite taking 8 points from them over 2 matches.
Munsters lack of bonus points killing them
Would help if they could field a pair of fit centres every now and again
Stop making excuses Fecky Dim. Leinster have had way more injuries than your mob to deal with this season.
To an Ulster fan enduring todays performance appears to be the result of the neverending story of stagnation that is now Ulster rugby. The brain trust that was David Humphreys has now left Shane Logan badly exposed. In the absence of a strategy as to how Ulster rugby responds to the new IRFU recruitment of Irish qualified players Shane Logan appears to have regressed Ulster to a ‘jobs for the boys’ culture with internal appointments. The IRFU may need to intervene with the Ulster branch before Ulster rugby fall completely into decline. Its a simple choice persist without a brain trust at Ulster and have the apologists cry out for more international signings and watch attendances fall away or act soon.
Madigan should have been man of the match, he is a great all rounder.
Hmm von his decision making can still be very iffy. But that comes with experience of playing at 10.
And by the end of the 2012/2013 there was no reason in the world not to make him the starting 10 but MOC’s angle was “well he’ll have to prove himself now that JG is here”
He literally said that at the time. How is it that the player that had won the Pro 12 Golden Boot and top try scorer needs to prove themselves against a new comer?
That’s what knocked his confidence and then his form. I know from working in performance coaching that one of the biggest confidence killers is non recognition when you have actually produced the results.
Enough game time at 10 and he will be the complete 10 but whether that fat see you next Tuesday gives him that is another question.
I think he tries too hard and forces things when he’s doubtful
It’s just one injury after another with Leinster. On the plus side,Van der Flier and Conan player very well. As did Fitzgerald,who looked dangerous every time he got the ball. Please let him have a bit of luck this time injury wise.
How was there ever a debate about who was the best backup to Sexton between Jackson and Madigan?
There’s no way either Luke or McFadden were superb ,average at best.Have to agree totally regarding MOC and Darcy.Magnificent servant to Irish and Leinster rugby but time is up
Lads will jack Conan be in a six nations squad ??? Or is it two soon for him
I don’t know Dan.
Maybe at 20? POM and SOB too good not to have.
Will SOB be back in time for the 6 Nations tho? As for Conan, I think he’d acquit himself well in the Irish set up now but his best chance at making the 6 Nations this year would be if SOB and Heislip didn’t. I think Ruddock and TOD would probably be ahead of him in JS thinking
Agree jason, he is cocky and in the begining i thought he was a bit too sure of himself , but i think thats what gives him the edge to mark those points.
Well done Leinster! A nice victory to start off the new year!