Leinster record facile eight-try win over scoreless Zebre

Leinster 52 Zebre 0: They were missing a host of players to international duty, but with a total of eight tries over the course of the action, Leinster recorded a facile Guinness Pro12 victory over Zebre at the RDS last night.

Leo Cullen recalled Cian Healy and Mike Ross to his front-row following their recent injury lay-offs, and although Zebre initially held firm, a powerful drive by lock Hayden Triggs yielded a ninth-minute try — his first in the Leinster colours.

His former Auckland Blues compatriot Isa Nacewa was on hand to supply the bonuses, and the skipper subsequently claimed a seven-point salvo at the end of a sweeping attacking move on 18 minutes.

A third Leinster touch down inevitably arrived through replacement scrum-half Luke McGrath, and with right-wing Adam Byrne also crossing over for his maiden score at first-team level, Leinster brought an insurmountable 26-0 cushion into the second half.

Gianluca Guidi’s visitors provided a stern resistance in the third-quarter, before No 8 Jordi Murphy dotted down for the four-time champions just shy of the half-hour mark.

Substitute hooker Sean Cronin (fresh from his appearance in Ireland’s stalemate with Wales) added his name to the scoresheet from a 68th-minute attack, and thanks to outstanding five-pointers from Garry Ringrose and Cian Kelleher in the latter stages, Leinster concluded their evening’s work in considerable style.

Scorers for Leinster:

I Nacewa try, 3 cons, H Triggs, L McGrath, A Byrne, J Murphy, S Cronin, G Ringrose, C Kelleher try each, C Marsh 3 cons.

LEINSTER:

Z Kirchner; A Byrne, G Ringrose, B Te’o, I Nacewa; C Marsh, I Boss; C Healy, J Tracy, M Ross; R Molony, H Triggs; D Ryan, J van der Flier, J Murphy.

Replacements:

L McGrath for Boss (10), C Kelleher for Nacewa (41), S Cronin for Tracy, M Bent for Ross (both 46), N Reid for Te’o (50), D Leavy for Ryan (55), T Denton for Triggs (57), P Dooley for Healy (64).

ZEBRE:

U Beyers; D Berryman, T Boni, M Pratichetti, K Van Zyl; M Azzolini, L Burgess; B Postiglioni, O Fabiani, G Roan; G Koegelenberg, M Bortolami; E Caffini, J Meyer, J Cook.

Replacements:

F Ruzza for Caffini (46), A De Marchi for Postiglioni (49-64), P Ceccarelli for Roan (49), M Muliaina for Azzolini (55), F Cristiano for Cook (63), G Toniolatti for Van Zyl (65), E Coria for Fabiani (70), F Ferrarini for Meyer (76).

Referee:

B Whitehouse (Wales).