Leinster 50
Dragons 15
THE NOVEMBER RAIN teemed down, there were young bucks to find their feet and yet Leinster’s 100% start to the season continued with a terrific eight-try demolition of the Dragons.
While experienced heads on the wing Dave Kearney and James Lowe, touched down two tries apiece this was a performance flecked with precocious youthful talent.
A trio of 20-year-olds caused havoc for the visitors: out-half Harry Byrne scored a try on his first start and was named man-of-the-match. But even more impressive were his peers in the pack openside Scott Penny and fellow 20-year-old Ryan Baird, who proved destructive on maul defence and powerful in the loose.
Early season results that included a big win away to Zebre and at home to the depleted Warriors served to warn of a Dragons resurgence under new director Dean Ryan. And six days on from a stodgy 3-0 win away to Zebre, a hungry young crop of Leinster players were never going to be troubled by complacency.
Yet while the bouns point was secured by the 44th minute, it was not a perfect performance from the hosts in the early stages. Greasy conditions on a damp Dublin night brought handling errors in midfield, the energetic Jamison Gibson-Park smashed an early kick out on the full and the visitors’ first-half try was the result of a downright mess.
And yet, between Michael Bent’s ninth-minute barge over the try-line and Byrne’s first senior try with 33 on the clock (assisted by referee Andrea Piardi getting in Richard Hibbard’s way), there was a scintillating attack to showcase the promise of the present and future of Leo Cullen’s side.
Space was at a premium down the right flank, but slick handling ensured Leinster made the most of it. Byrne and Rory O’Loughlin combined before passing outside to Penny and the openside – who only turned 20 in September – flicked the ball back inside to send Kearney blazing a trail to the try-line.
The scoreboard read 19-8 at half-time and was blurred by a thick mist of rain early in the second half. Not alone did it make handling more difficult for both sides, it took some wind out of the crowd as many left their seats in the uncovered north and south ends of the ground.
It was poor weather for running rugby, but ideal for an attacking maul to pave the way for a Ronan Kelleher score. And with the rain only just easing, Leinster showed another flash of their ambition to bring about Kearney’s scintillating second.
Byrne’s cross-field kick found Kearney on the right, he flung a long pass inside to find Conor O’Brien on the run. The centre had Penny in support and the seven again provided the assist for Kearney, this time the veteran wing showing off his finishing prowess with a scything cut off his right foot before finding the whitewash.
At 29-8 the game was already over when the crowd gave an ovation to captain Devin Toner as he was called ashore. And from there on in it was a rout, Jimmy O’Brien buzzed into tackles on halfway to create enough space for James Lowe – showing no ill effects from an early shoulder knock.
The exuberant Kiwi would grab a second too, an intercept to bring up 50 on the scoreboard after Hugh O’Sullivan was gifted a first senior try by a costly spill metres from the line.
The international contingent will begin filtering back in among Cullen’s ranks next week, but those who were left holding the fort will be keen on holding the jersey with the loss column still marked by a zero.
Scorers
Leinster
Tries: M Bent, D Kearney (2) H Byrne, R Kelleher, J Lowe (2), H O’Sullivan.
Conversions: H Byrne (5/8)
Dragons
Tries: J Williams, O Jenkins
Conversions: S Davies (1/2)
Penalties: S Davies (1/1)
Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien, Dave Kearney, Rory O’Loughlin (CIan Kelleher ’64), Conor O’Brien (Ciaran Frawley ’60), James Lowe, Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park (Hugh O’Sullivan ’60); Peter Dooley (Michael Milne ’53), Rónan Kelleher (James Tracy ’53), Michael Bent (Jack Aungier ’53), Devin Toner (Ross Molony ’57), Ryan Baird, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Caelan Doris (Will Connor ’70).
Dragons: Jordan Williams, Owen Jenkins, Adam Warren, Connor Edwards, Ashton Hewitt, Sam Davies, Rhodri Williams (Luke Baldwin ’59); Brok Harris (Josh Renolds ’75), Richard Hibbard (Ellis Shipp ’70), Leon Brown (Lloyd Fairbrother ’70), Joe Davies, Matthew Screech (Max Williams ’65), Harri Keddie (James Benjamin ’59), Taine Basham, Huw Taylor.
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I’m supporting the Boks lads. Let’s hope for one great final
@WillKeepTheW: same it would be amazing to see Kolisi lift the trophy.
@WillKeepTheW: Live:https://tinyurl.com/y68vph5p
@Md Sohan Khan: its on free to air you pair in the arse
@Doire: You’re talking to a bot lad!
Did anyone notice the RTÉ commentators talking about the fantastic weather that has accompanied this tournament. Eh, Typhoon lads?
@Ian Synnott: Live:https://tinyurl.com/y68vph5p
@Ian Synnott: I’m in Japan here for it. Weather has been great one bad typhoon that made landfall. All that was needed was to sit in for a day and safe in the city areas. Walking around in a t shirt at 24 degrees yesterday in Nov
To echo Brian O’Driscoll’s sentiments- I hope expansive entertaining rugby wins. If S.A. try to grind out the attritional bang ‘n bash rugby that we saw in the semi-final I’d prefer to see the Eng v NZ semi-final rugby brand win handsomely. Despite being an old Hibernian I’ve nothing too much against England winning if so be it.
@Md Sohan Khan: alright like go away
@David O Callaghan: in fairness, boks are better team so far
Best of luck South Africa!!!
England all over the shop. The New Zealand match was a one off.
Cmon England
13 point Bok lead with under fifteen minutes left. Wow, didn’t see this scenario. Unbelievable.
@David O Callaghan: Indeed! Clearly Ireland would have clobbered the Boks! Haha!
To think we could have been in the local today cheering on Ireland – according to the media not so long ago :-)
Congrats South Africa
England’s win over New Zealand win was built off a dominant forward display and SA are on top in the pack so far. As long as SA are controlling the pace of the game and where it’s being played England will struggle as the Springboks can just turn the screw with their monster pack and blitz defence. The issue for SA is they were so dominant early doors but haven’t put up scores and they’ve a number of lads struggling with injury already
@Eddie Hekenui: Boks power and defence totally shutting down England so far. They just can’t get a foothold in the game but with their back 3 they’ll only need one chance to turn their fortunes around. Marler making a big impact in the scrum. Koch and Kitshoff aren’t the same power scrummagers so England might be able to right the ship
@Eddie Hekenui: totally out forwarded england also played garces and slowed the ball at every opportunity to prevent eng getting on the front foot. well done sa
Long evening for Dan Cole.
Why do the English always build them selves up to be better than they actually are, a country of bottlers
@dan o keeffe: Ah don’t be bitter. Have a lager for a change.
@dan o keeffe: because they’re English and always think they’re better than everyone else.
@dan o keeffe: Yeah very true, thy should look at Ireland, we never do that.
@dan o keeffe: abit unfair at least they have got to finals and have won a world cup, we are the real bottlers of world cups.
@Bluepoolroad: far from bitter my friend, england losing is nearly better than Ireland winning…..I’m delighted they got destroyed men v boys today
@dan o keeffe: the only thing that built them up was their performances. They were outperformed today
SA Best team by far on the day they were magnificent- Eddie Jones will be very sour now
Another in a long line of teams to have shot the full load in the semifinal.
@Thomas O’ Donnell: I would rather shoot the load all over the place in a semi-final than constantly struggle to get an erection once the group stages finish.
Can’t wait to see the puss of Eddie Jones after this.
@Tim Quigley: Two time loser! Still he humbled NZ, and now RFU! Not bad ;)
There won’t be a cow milked in KwaZulu-Natal tonight
South Africa playing typical cup rugby helped by refeering of the scrum
England in serious bother now
Garces ignores possible forward pass,revenge for Brexit!!
@tom whelan: Did TMO spot it or just you?
YES!!!!!
England by 4
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
@Coco86:
What a step by Koble!!
This is an abysmal game so far. During the anthems, naturally enough as soon as God save the Queen comes on, I’m saying, come on the Boks. After watching the actual game, I’m desperately hoping England can turn it around but not looking likely. Didn’t realise South Africa have never scored a try in any of their finals, jaysus….
@Michael Garvey: There’s your try. Let’s have a couple from England.
“Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana, ! (we have beaten them all, we have beaten them all!). Maggie Thatcher, can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher … your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!”
…good old fashioned Towns Cup rugby is alive and well….
England’s backs are playing poorly. If they can get that right they can still win it in the 2nd half. The South African scrum half is really poor and ponderous. If he was quicker/better South Africa would be already be out of sight
I love it. What a result.
Don’t cancel the victory parade. Just slow it down a bit.