Leinster shake off luckless Aironi

LIKE Ireland in Rome last Saturday, Leinster found out last night that it is one thing being expected to beat Italian opposition but quite another to actually do it.

It was only when Dave Kearney went over in the left corner with three minutes left to score the home side’s second try that the result was put beyond doubt. That left eight points in it but a last-gasp penalty from Paulo Buso handed the visitors a losing bonus point.

That is Aironi’s fifth such consolation prize in what has been a dreadfully difficult rookie year in this competition. It could be argued that this latest loss, their 13th, was somewhat unlucky given that they spurned nine kickable points from penalties.