Cheika’s brilliant Blues batter Borders

Leinster 62 Borders 14

Michael Cheika’s team showed seven changes from the side that saw off Bath at the Rec but they delivered in spades again here, scoring nine tries.

By the 28th minute they had the bonus point in the bag and, just as he has been all season, Felipe Contepomi was the chief orchestrator.

By the tenth minute he had recorded his 400th point in a blue shirt from a penalty but his fingerprints had already enveloped the game when his mini-break inside the Borders 22 allowed Bryce Williams canter over for Leinster’s first try after five minutes.

Whether it was the discarded Irish squad members like Denis Hickie and Reggie Corrigan, or the fringe brigade hoping to shine on a rare night under the lights, Leinster had players chomping at the bit to make a point.

On any other night, Gary Brown’s hat-trick of touch downs would have stolen the headlines. Here, it was just the icing on a very tasty cake.

Niall Ronan came on as a replacement for Eric Miller after 55 minutes and within five minutes he found himself jogging unhindered over the Borders line.

With half a new team, the Irish province picked up exactly where they left off against Bath..

With a style of play as open as Leinster’s though, the opposition is always going to get a try or two if they hang around long enough and centre Nicky Walker manoeuvred a way over the home touchline twice in the opening period with both tries being converted by out-half Charlie Hore.

Displeasing to Cheika no doubt, but last night they proved to be minor thorns in the side. By half-time Leinster were home and dry at 36-14 and the scoring rate didn’t drop a beat even when the wholesale changes began to kick in.

They even managed to stem the leaks, holding Borders scoreless for the second 40 without losing any of their verve going forward.

Scorers: Leinster: Tries: Brown 3, Williams, Contepomi, Hickie, Kearney, Ronan, Hepworth. Penalties: Contepomi, Cons: Contepomi 7.

LEINSTER: D Hickie; G Brown, K Lewis, J Hepworth, R Kearney, F Contepomi, G Easterby; R Corrigan, B Blaney, E Byrne; A Byrnes, B Williams; E Miller, K Gleeson, J Heaslip. Replacements: N Ronan for Miller 55, R McCormack for Corrigan 58, B Burke for Kearney 64, B O’Riordan for Easterby 64, D Blaney for B Blaney 64, D Toner for Williams 65, J Sexton for Contepomi 75.

BORDERS: C McRae; S Moffat, B MacDougall, G Law, N Walker; C Hore, B McKerchar; P Thompson, R Ford, G Cross; S MacLeod, O Palepoi; K Brown, A Miller, S Sititi. Replacements: S Scott for Ford 56, J Weston for McKerchar 64, T McGee for Miller 65, A Rennick for Thompson 65.

Scorers: Borders: Tries: Walker 2, Conversions Walker 2.

Referee: P Fear (Wales).

Ulster 30 Llanelli Scarlets 13

THE boot of Paul Steinmetz helped Ulster to stay up with the elite corps in the Celtic League when he contributed 20 points in a hard-earned and scrappy victory over Llanelli Scarlets at Ravenhill last night.

The former All Black knocked six penalties and converted a first-half try by Andrew Maxwell.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; J Topping, J Bell, P Steinmetz, A Maxwell; A Larkin, I Boss; J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, B Young, J Harrison, capt, M McCullough, S Ferris, N McMillan, R Wilson.

Replacements: N Best for Ferris (71). R Frost for McCullough (76), P Shields for Brady (77), K Campbell for Boss (80), Howe for Maxwell (80).

Scorers for Ulster: Tries: Maxwell, Howe; Pens: Steinmetz 6; Cons: Steinmetz.

SCARLETS: B Davies; T Selley, D James (capt), R King, G Evans; G Bowen, C Stuart-Smith; C Dunlea, M Rees, M Madden, I Afeaki, H Louw, D Jones, G Thomas, A Popham.

Replacements: J Davies for Madden ,(68), A Gravelle for Rees (72) V Cooper for Afeaki (62), G Quinnell for Thomas (72), Liam Davies for Stuart-Smith (62), M Hercus for Bowen (62).

Scarlets scorers: Tries: James; Pen: Davies; Cons: Bowen.

Referee: Rob Dickson (SRU).

Celtic League: Cardiff Blues 9 Edinburgh 13

Glasgow 8 Neath-Swansea Ospreys 22.