Cheika says Contepomi ‘fine’ after injury scare in six try Leinster victory

LEINSTER began the business end of their season with a six-try run-out against Treviso at Donnybrook last night.

There was a minor scare when Felipe Contepomi limped to the sideline after 37 minutes, but coach Michael Cheika allayed any fears that he will miss next week’s game against Connacht or the Heineken Cup quarter-final away to London Wasps on March 31.

“Felipe is fine, just a little twist of his knee in the sand there,” said Cheika.

Before the injury Contepomi converted two well worked tries from Luke Fitzgerald and Bernard Jackman to leave it 14-all at the interval.

Both scores were reactions to tries from Dion Kingi and Marius Goosen.

Contepomi’s replacement Johnny Sexton crossed for a decisive try earlier in the second half and then converted further touchdowns from Rob Kearney, Keith Gleeson and Jamie Heaslip.

A late try from Gabriele Brussolo was the only blotch on the Leinster copy book in the second half, but after a four-week lay-off it was an acceptable return to competitive action.

“I got what I wanted out of the game. It was really a blow-out leading into the game next week and then the game (Wasps) after that,” added Cheika.

Scorers: Leinster: Tries – Fitzgerald, Jackman, Kearney, Gleeson, Heaslip, Sexton. Conv – Contepomi two conv, Sexton three conv. Treviso: Tries – Kingi, Goosen, Brussolo. Conv – Mercato three conv

LEINSTER: R Kearney; G Brown, K Lewis, M Berne, L Fitzgerald; F Contepomi, C Whitaker; S Wright, B Jackman, W Green; C Jowitt, O Finegan; S Keogh, K Gleeson, K McLaughlin.

Replacements: B Blaney for B Jackman (5-9 mins), G Easterby for C Whitaker (22 mins), R Leyden for S Keogh (31 mins), J Sexton for F Contepomi (37 mins), D Toner for C Jowitt, F Pala’amo for S Wright, S Keogh for R Leyden, C Whitaker for G Easterby (all half time), B Blaney for B Jackman, J Heaslip for K McLaughlin (both 49 mins), S Wright for W Green (55 mins), F McFadden for M Berne (58 mins), H Vermass for S Wright, R McCarron for R Kearney (both 69 mins).

BENETTON TREVISO: B Williams; A Sartoretto, M Goosen, G Pizarro, E Mulieri; A Marcato, J Gobbo; J Allori, A Tejeda, P Di Santo; D Kingi, M Wentzel; E Pavanello, M Filipucci, W Johnson. Replacements: M Perziano for B Williams (31 mins), M Muccignat for J Allori, G Brussolo for J Gobbo (both 46 mins), Z Ansell for E Pavanello (58 mins), M Riva for P Di Santo (60 mins).

Referee: G Clancy (IRFU).