Leinster crush struggling Swansea

Swansea 10 Leinster 51

Mon, 21 Oct, 2002 - 01:00

Barry Coughlan

Williams expressed his sympathy for the club he once played for, but Swansea's skipper Scott Gibbs wasn't so sanguine on a night the white jerseys could have been mistaken for white flags.

Gibbs hailed Leinster for producing "a magnificent display" but slammed his team in the process.

"All credit to Leinster, but we looked as if we are incapable of playing football. It was just as much an unacceptable performance from us as it was pleasing from a Leinster perspective."

Cash-starved Swansea have struggled for much of the season but this home defeat, or the manner of it, was the final straw for frustrated Gibbs.

"It was unacceptable. I have never seen us take such a hiding at this ground and, without any disrespect to Leinster who were magnificent, I think the result was more a reflection on how low we have sunk rather than based on their brilliance.

"We have now lost two Heineken Cup matches in succession and conceded an average of 48 points a game. In all my years involved with Swansea, I never thought it would come to this.

"I have been involved with teams in this club that played hard, played fair and played good rugby. We couldn't play rugby in the first half because we didn't have the ball, and we couldn't play rugby in the second half

either because, quite simply, we were incapable of playing. It was pathetic.

"In contrast, Leinster used their possession very well. They ran hard, created some great angles of running and supported one another. There were times when we never saw the ball.

"We could take a lead from them. The Irish teams, highlighted by Leinster's display, keep the game fairly simple and it should be a lesson for all of us in Wales."

Gibbs is envious of the Irish provincial system. "There are too many teams in Wales and too few quality players to go around. We have headed down the road to mediocrity and it will take a lot of effort to put it right. The problem in Wales is that the national team gets one big win and everyone thinks everything in the garden is rosy. Clubs, too, make excuses for certain performances but there can be no excuse for one like that. It was crap, pure and simple, and if this continues we will lose our fan base." As Leinster coach Williams basked in the glory of victory, content in the knowledge that his side top their group after Montferrand's shock defeat away to Bristol, he did have words of sympathy for Gibbs and his Swansea colleagues.

"We can't apologise because you must go out and beat the opposition in front of you. But, I suppose, it was a pretty sad day for Swansea to ship a home defeat like that."

Williams played for the club in 1986 and admitted: "It was a bit embarrassing to come back and meet up with old friends in circumstances like this, but from our point of view this was a very professional performance." Williams believes Leinster has the ability to go on and qualify for the quarter-finals. "Because many of our players were involved with Ireland in the build up to our opening games, I always said the first two would be the most taxing. We have got through them with a 100% record and we can build on that."

The first half was a breeze for Leinster as they scorched into a 37-3 lead. Swansea came out with all guns blazing in the early stages of the second half but Leinster were as focused in defence as they had been in attack in the opening half.

By the time Swansea scored their opening try in the 66th minute converted by Arwel Thomas

Leinster had already stretched the lead to unassailable proportions with a try from Aidan McCullen, converted by O'Meara.

Leinster also had the last word when Gordon D'Arcy scampered over to complete a personal hat trick.

Swansea have now conceded 160 points in three games, increasing pressure on the All Whites' Australian coach John Connolly.

Former Gloucester scrumhalf Dimitri Yachvili's injury-time penalty denied Northampton a share of the Pool Six spoils in Biarritz.

The Saints looked to have done enough for an impressive 20-20 draw against the French champions, but Yachvili kept his nerve and group leaders Biarritz maintained their 100% record.

Heineken Cup holders Leicester swept aside Calvisano 63-0 at Welford Road, scoring 10 tries through Steve Booth (3), Neil Back (2), Geordan Murphy (2), Perry Fresh-water, Tom Tierney and Martin Corry.

SWANSEA: S Payne, R Rees,

M Taylor, S Winn, M Robinson,

A Thomas, S Cordingly, D Morris,

C Balchen, B Evans, A Farley, J Griffiths, D Thomas, C Charvis (captain), T Tamuara.

Replacements: D Dorsey for Morris, D Pittard for Cordingly (both half time), R Jenkins for Tamaura (60), J Thomas for Griffiths (72),

D Colclough for Balshen (76),

M Bray for Winn (77), M Brayley for Taylor (80).

LEINSTER: G Dempsey, G D'Arcy,

B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, D. Hickie,

C Warner, B O'Meara, R Corrigan (captain), S Byrne, P Wallace,

L Cullen, M O'Kelly, A McCullen,

V Costello, K Gleeson.