Cameos of class swing it Leinster’s way
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.”
High on Cheika’s wish-list was the well being of the returning Jonathan Sexton and Shane Jennings after injury and suspension, respectively. The Wallaby was happy the duo came through unscathed while he was also impressed with Berne and Sean O’Brien when sprung from the bench.”
However, the coach admitted he was less than happy at the interval, having watched his side struggle to a 7-0 lead. “In some ways, this game was the best thing that could have happened for us. They made us fight all the way and gave us a good kick in the butt. ”
Brive threw down the gauntlet to Leinster from the outset thanks to a robust pack, brilliantly led by number eight Antonie Claasen. However, with Leo Cullen, Cian Healy, Nathan Hines, Jennings for a spell and replacement Sean O’Brien to the fore, the hosts slowly got to grips with the visitors before taking charge.
Yet, on a night when mistakes punctuated much of the action Leinster will have to satisfy themselves with little cameos of class, specifically the moves that led to the three second-half tries.
The opening minutes were, to say the least, interesting Leinster having to contend with an aggressive challenge from Brive and yet looking dangerous themselves on the counter-attack.
But Leinster had to rely on a penalty try award after 26 minutes, converted by Sexton, for their opening points. For a time they looked incapable of adding to that and the next score was equally disputed by the visitors. A 43rd minute Sexton penalty was onlyconfirmed after referee Andrew Small sought advice of the TMO.
From there, many things appeared to fall in Leinster’s favour, and winger Nacewa was sent in for the second try three minutes later by O’Driscoll, with D’Arcy, Kearney and Kevin McLaughlin all playing key roles in the creation of the score to secure a 15 points lead.
Yet, it was still certainly far from one way traffic; Brive challenged everything and got back into the contest when second row Retif Uys touched down in the 57th minute.
Remarkably, that appeared to reinvigorate the home side and they responded with a 66th minute try when D’Arcy – who can thank replacement O’Brien for providing the field position – got through for a try that Sexton converted for a 22-5 advantage. Scott Spedding gave battling Brive a second try against the run of play, but Leinster had that last say with O’Driscoll’s try that could yet be crucial in this mammoth battle for supremacy in Pool Six.
LEINSTER: R. Kearney, S. Horgan, B. O’Driscoll, G. D’arcy, I. Nacewa, J. Sexton, E. Redden, C. Healy, J. Fogarty, S Wright, L . Cullen (captain), N. Hines, K. McLaughlin, J. Heaslip, S. Jennings.
Replacements: S. O’Brien for Jennings (46), CJ van der Linde for Wright (55); S. Berne for D’Arcy (75).
BRIVE: S. Spedding, N. Jeanjean, J. Noon, L. Mackay, H Agulla, L. Orquera, J.B Pejoine, P. Henn, S. Thompson, P. Idieder, R. Uys, D. Browne, A. Popham, A. Claasen (captain), F. Domingo.
Replacements: P. Toderasc for Henn, P. Barnard for Idieder. S. Perry for Pejoine (all 40), R Bianco for Orquera (55). C. Short for Browne, G. Ribes for Thompson, S. Azoulai for Domingo (all 61), V. Waqaseduadua for Noon (65).
Referee: A Small (England).
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