Updated at 20.00

Zebre 8

Leinster 31

LEINSTER SECURED A comfortable 31-8 bonus-point win away to Italian side Zebre this evening.

John Cooney, Noel Reid, Zane Kircher and Darren Hudson were among the try scorers, with Jimmy Gopperth (two conversions, one penalty) and Ian Madigan (two conversions) also contributing points.

Dries van Schalkwyk’s try had gotten the hosts off to the perfect start, but it turned out to be little more than a consolation for his team.

After Van Schalkwyk’s try had put Zebre into the lead, Cooney gave Leinster the advantage, as his score helped them establish a 10-5 lead going in at half-time.

A breakaway Noel Reid try then extended the visitors’ advantage, before Zane Kirchner added Leinster’s third score following good work from substitute Madigan.

With two minutes remaining, Hudson then put the icing on the cake in the form of a bonus-point try, as Leinster climbed to second in the RaboDirect Pro12 table.

ZEBRE: Trevisan, Toniolatti, Quartaroli, Ratuvou, Odiete, Haimona, Leonard, Aguero, T. D’Apice, Chistolini, Caffini, Biagi, Ferrarini, van Schalkwyk, Vunisa.

SUBS: Bisegni for Haimona (69), De Marchi for Aguero (67), Giovanchelli for T. D’Apice (67), van Vuren for Caffini (45), Bernini for van Schalkwyk (63). Unused — Ryan, Chillon, Cristiano.

Leinster: Kirchner, Fanning, Macken, Reid, Coghlan-Murray, Gopperth, Cooney, Bent, Dundon, Furlong, Cullen, McCarthy, K. McLaughlin, Jennings, Murphy.

SUBS: Hudson for Coghlan-Murray (72), Madigan for Gopperth (63), L. McGrath for Cooney (41). Unused — Tracy, J. O’Connell, E. Byrne, Denton, Ryan.

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