Makeshift Leinster do just enough to scupper Scarlets
The side Leo Cullen sent out last night was a patched-up Leinster side, and so the performance was a fittingly patchy one.
But with four academy players in the starting lineup, and the majority of their Test players on Ireland duty, the Leinster boss will be happy enough with the experience —and points — gained on the night.
He’ll also be happy — as will Joe Schmidt — to see Rob Kearney and Jack McGrath come through the game unscathed, with the full back playing an hour and the prop completing 50 minutes, one week out from the Six Nations opener against England.
The game itself was a slow burner at a windy RDS, with the last 15 minutes containing in more action than the entire first half. The first score only arrived on the 31st minute, despite the Scarlets’ dominance.
The Welsh side, beaten by Leinster in last season’s PRO14 final, had the better of the play, but unforced errors were rife and whenever they came close to the Leinster line, a knock-on or fumble was never far away.
The hosts weren’t in vintage form either, with Kearney epitomising Leinster’s rustiness, the Lion uncharacteristically sloppy in play and sidestepped far too easily by Ioan Nicholas.
McGrath looked fired up for the occasion and it was his explosive play in the loose that led to the game’s first score.
Scarlets coughed up a penalty after Leinster went through the phases after McGrath had taken them into the visitors’ 22, and following a poor cross-kick from Ciarán Frawley, the ref called the hosts back and the out half took three points from the tee.
With 40 minutes on the clock, Leinster kicked to the corner to try to add to their half-time lead and though James Tracy was held up after breaking from the back of the maul, Rory O’Loughlin eventually stretched home.
Paul Asquith looked to have brought Scarlets back into the game just seconds after the restart when he intercepted a Frawley pass — but after the TMO got involved, it was judged that the winger had lost control of the ball inches from the line.
Such an unforgivable slip proved costly. Dan Jones let Leinster off the hook again soon after, pushing a penalty wide from right in front of the posts, but the breakthrough would eventually come.
Kieran Hardy touched down after a good break from Dan Davis out wide, punishing a poor kick by Jamison Gibson-Park, who had only just come on the pitch.
By the time the hour mark arrived, the sides were level again after a Dan Jones penalty set up a tense final quarter.
Suddenly, the tries began to flow, with three in five minutes. James Lowe bulldozed his way past Nicholas to score Leinster’s second of the night, before Barry Daly gathered Noel Reid’s beautiful grubber kick to seal the game.
Or so it seemed. Johnny McNicholl’s sharp break in midfield cut through the Leinster defence, before sending Hardy home for his second try of the night. The visitors were within one score, but it was not to come.
Tries: R O’Loughlin (40), J Lowe (68), B Daly (72). Cons: C Frawley (2), Pens: C Frawley (31)
R Kearney (Rep: N Reid, 61); B Daly, R O’Loughlin, C O’Brien, J Lowe; C Frawley, H O’Sullivan (Rep: J Gibson-Park, 50); J McGrath (Rep: E Byrne, 50) J Tracy (Rep: B Byrne, 61), M Bent (Rep: V Abdaladze, 71); R Molony (Rep: O Dowling, 61), M Kearney; M Deegan, S Penny, C Doris.
Tries: K Brady (53, 74), Cons: D Jones (2), Pens: D Jones (60)
J McNicholl; I Nicholas, K Fonotia, S Hughes (Rep: T Prydie, 54), P Asquith; D Jones, K Hardy; P Price (Rep: D Hughers, 68), M Jones (Rep: D Evans, 68), W Kruger (Rep: S Gardiner, 68), J Ball, D Bulbring (Rep: J Helps, 6), T Price (RepL E Kennedy, 69), D Davis, J Macleod.
Marius Mitrea (FIR)
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