Leinster post seven tries in opening day win over understrength Quins

Comfortable for Leinster though not quite the romp when these sides met last season

Leinster's Jack Conan in action  during the Investec Champions Cup match at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Photo: Niall Carson/PA Wire. 

Investec Champions Cup Pool 3: Leinster 45 Harlequins 28 

It wasn’t nearly as comprehensive as their 62-0 victory over the same opposition in the knockout rounds of last season’s competition, but Leinster nevertheless kick-started their Investec Champions Cup campaign with a bonus point triumph over an understrength Harlequins at the Aviva Stadium this evening.

In addition to 11 players who are currently on the injury list, Quins arrived in south Dublin without their international quartet of Marcus Smith, Fin Baxter, Chandler Cunningham-South and Jack Kenningham - owing to them having mandatory rest periods.

This helped to ensure a Leinster outfit bolstered by the presence of several returning test players were overwhelming favourites to prevail and there was a little under five minutes on the clock when a slick Jamison Gibson-Park pass released Jordan Larmour for an unconverted try in the left-corner.

Yet while the early signs were ominous, the visitors fired back impressively when inside centre Luke Northmore burst through the Leinster rearguard to cross the whitewash in powerful style. A routine Jarrod Evans conversion had ‘Quins in the ascendancy on 13 minutes, but their lead proved to be a short-lived one.

Following another foray into the opposition ‘22’, Garry Ringrose profited from excellent approach work by Gibson-Park and his midfielder partner Ciaran Frawley before touching down to the right of the posts in the 17th minute.

After supplying the extras to this score, Sam Prendergast turned provider for Leinster’s third try inside the second-quarter as he delivered a sublime crossfield kick with the outside of his right boot that was gathered by Larmour for his second of the game.

There might have been an expectation that the hosts would continue to flex their muscles as the opening period progressed, but ‘Quins were in for a second try on 34 minutes as winger Cassius Cleaves crossed over after executing a neat one-two with Northmore.

This was a warning that this game was far from over just yet, but the Blues ultimately wrapped up a bonus point on the stroke of half-time when Frawley raced over after reacting quickest to an overthrow by Dan Sheehan off an attacking line-out.

Prendergast’s second successful conversion of the day left Leinster 24-14 in front at the interval, but with Ireland international Kieran Treadwell playing his part, a resilient ‘Quins gave themselves a fighting chance on the resumption.

Off a 51st minute attack by the visitors, Jimmy O’Brien deliberately knocked on as Cadan Murley attempted to pick out Cameron Anderson for a run at the whitewash. Not only did this lead to a yellow card for the Leinster full-back, but also the awarding of a penalty try by referee Craig Evans.

Although this dramatically reduced their advantage to just three points, Leinster were handed a boost when Quins’ Jarrod Evans was sin-binned prior to Jimmy O’Brien’s return.

The latter’s namesake Tommy O’Brien had to retreat slightly to claim a crossfield kick delivery from replacement out-half Harry Byrne on the hour mark, but the Ireland star proceeded to kick forward himself before re-gathering possession to score an emphatic individual try.

This lifted a sizeable weight off Leinster’s shoulders and when Jack Conan powered over the whitewash with just 15 minutes left in the action, there was a sense the outcome had been placed beyond doubt.

New Zealand star Rieko Ioane had been introduced off the bench for his Leinster debut in advance of Tommy O’Brien adding his name to the scoresheet, but it was the re-emerging Jimmy O’Brien who got on the end of an extended 69th minute attack for their seventh try of the night.

‘Quins finally responded to this scoring blitz with a breakaway bonus try from Oscar Beard in the dying moments of the game and even though it didn’t have a major impact on the final outcome, Leinster head Leo Cullen will be left with plenty to ponder ahead of his side’s trip to Leicester Tigers at Welford Road next Friday.

Scorers for Leinster: 

Tries: J Larmour 2, G Ringrose, C Frawley, T O’Brien, J Conan, J O’Brien Cons: S Prendergast 2, H Byrne 3

Scorers for Harlequins: 

Tries: L Northmore, C Cleaves, Pen Try, O Beard Cons: J Evans 2, J Benson, Pen Try 

LEINSTER: J O’Brien; T O’Brien, G Ringrose (R Ioane 60), C Frawley, J Larmour; S Prendergast (H Byrne 58), J Gibson-Park (L McGrath 58); P McCarthy (J Boyle 50), D Sheehan (R Kelleher 50), T Clarkson (T Furlong 50); RG Snyman (D Mangan 18), J McCarthy; J Conan (M Deegan 71), J van der Flier, C Doris.

HARLEQUINS: C Anderson; C Cleaves, O Beard, L Northmore (B Bradley 62), C Murley; J Evans (J Benson 71), W Porter (L Friday 51); B Wenger (W Hobson 62), J Walker (G Turner 58), H Williams (P Delgado 22); K Treadwell (J Launchbury 51), S Lewies; S Carr, W Evans, T Lawday (L Schmid 58).

Referee: Craig Evans (WRU).