Leinster triumph in RDS clash

Leinster 34 Cardiff 15

Leinster got their tenure at the RDS stadium off to a winning start as four first half tries spurred them on to a Celtic League win over the Cardiff Blues.

The Irishmen are switching from Donnybrook to the purpose-built Royal Dublin Society stadium for their Heineken Cup games this season and their dress rehearsal for next Saturday’s visit of Bath went without a hitch.

Leinster, who were mauled 33-9 by Munster last weekend, scored tries through captain Felipe Contepomi, Lions duo Shane Horgan and Gordon D’Arcy and Auckland-born lock Ben Gissing to rack up their bonus point in little over 34 minutes.

Gissing lurched over for his second and Leinster’s fifth try at the death as the Blues lived off five Nicky Robinson penalties.

Horgan galloped down the right wing on three minutes to set up Leinster’s first score.

The Irish centre deftly chipped through for Contepomi to charge on, hack ahead and touch down under pressure from Blues skipper Rhys Williams.

The Argentinian added the conversion but some indiscipline from the home side allowed Robinson to keep the Welsh region in touch from penalties. He drove over twice in three minutes.

However, Cardiff’s inability to carve out try-scoring opportunities was crucial.

Horgan brilliantly sliced through the Blues defence on 17 minutes, having dummied a pass, to score Leinster’s second try.

Contepomi converted and, although Robinson answered further tries from D’Arcy and Gissing, there was little doubt, with Leinster 26-12 in front at the break, who the eventual winners were going to be.

D’Arcy’s effort came from another chip ahead as he beat Williams in a 20-metre race for the touchdown on 29 minutes.

Gissing ploughed over Craig Morgan for short range for his first, five minutes later.

Robinson’s fourth penalty, seven minutes after the restart, reduced the arrears to 11 points.

With USA Eagle Kort Schubert on the field, the Blues were getting a little more change out of the Leinster pack but there was still no significant dent in the home side’s lead.

The league’s top scorer Contepomi added a penalty on the hour-mark.

Although the final quarter was soured a little by sin-binnings for Cardiff scrum half Mike Phillips and Leinster substitute prop Ronan McCormack, for separate off-the-ball incidents, Gissing did touch down another chip through, on this occasion from flanker Keith Glesson, in injury time.