Cameos of class swing it Leinster’s way

THE inactivity caused by the big freeze of recent weeks showed in Leinster’s lacklustre performance for much of this Heineken Cup clash against Brive on Saturday night before the champions upped gears to secure a bonus point victory.

It was fitting Brian O’Driscoll secured the vital try but it was equally significant Shane Horgan played such a role in its creation. There cannot have been a happier man in the RDS than Leinster coach Michael Cheika as he watched the Irish captain stroll over for that unexpected fourth try, but he was not surprised by the advance work of Horgan and replacement Shaun Berne.

Cheika said: “It was a great try, indicative of what Leinster rugby is all about. The guys backed themselves with Shane throwing a no-look ball that he believed and knew should be picked up and there was a guy there to pick it up. When things like that needed to be done, they (players) backed themselves to get it done.”