Leinster run in six tries in convincing friendly victory over World Cup-bound Chile

Hooker Lee Barron’s two early tries put the home side in control after Chile opened the scoring in Donnybrook

Leinster 40 Chile 3

Leinster bagged six tries at Energia Park in Donnybrook on Friday afternoon to cruise towards a convincing 37-point triumph over Chile in a friendly match.

Following some enterprising phase play inside the Leinster half, the Chileans, who will be competing at a World Cup final for the first time next year, broke the deadlock through a sixth-minute penalty from fullback Santiago Videla.

Leinster’s response was immediate, however, as Lee Barron got his hands on the ball at the back of a lineout maul and dotted down in clinical fashion. The 21-year-old hooker doubled his tally off another set-piece move in the 15th minute, before scrumhalf Cormac Foley crossed the whitewash after racing through the Chilean defence off a ‘tap and go’.

Charlie Tector also contributed a brace of conversions to ensure the home side were 16 points in front on the first-quarter mark. Leinster subsequently withstood some attacking pressure from Chile – skipper Liam Turner forced opposition winger Lukas Carvallo into touch with the tryline in sight – but a converted finish by Andrew Smith ultimately gave them a 26-3 interval buffer.

Squeezed in between a raft of personnel changes from the hosts, Turner – a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s in 2019 – touched down under the posts for a 43rd-minute try. Number eight Seán O’Brien wore the green jersey at the same age-grade a year after Turner and he claimed another five-pointer for a rampant Leinster on the stroke of 50 minutes.

Due to the spate of alterations that were being made by both coaches, it was understandable that the play became increasingly disjointed as the minutes passed by. Chile admirably persevered with their challenge inside the final quarter, but Videla’s early three-pointer was ultimately all the visitors could muster over the course of the action.

SSCORERS – Leinster: L Barron 2 tries, C Foley, A Smith, L Turner, S O’Brien try each, C Tector 5 cons. Chile: S Videla pen.

LEINSTER: C Cosgrave; R Russell, L Turner, B Brownlee, A Smith; C Tector, C Foley; M Milne, L Barron, T Clarkson; B Deeny, C Daly; R Ruddock, C Boomer, S O’Brien.

Replacements: M Hanan for Milne, S Penny for Ruddock, C Hogan for Russell (all h-t); J McKee for Barron, T Connolly for Clarkson, N McCarthy for Foley (all 44 mins); S Prendergast for Turner (48); A King for Brownlee (49); Foley for McCarthy (58); McCarthy for Foley (73); T Lasisi for Connolly (76).

CHILE: S Videla; L Carvallo, M Garafulic, C Armstrong, G Moltedo; D Warnken, N Herreros; S Lues, D Escobar, I Gurruchaga; P Huete, J Eissmann; M Sigren, I Silva, C Saavedra.

Replacements: R Fernández for Garafulic (43 mins); J Milesi for Saavedra (48); T Dussaillant for Escobar, R Martinez for Huete (both 53); J Carrasco for Gurruchaga, B Videla for Herreros (both 58); J Ignacio Larenas for Moltedo (66); M Dittus for Lues (76).

Referee: P Martin (IRFU).