Leinster 42

Cardiff 24

Daire Walsh reports from the Aviva Stadium

LEINSTER HAVE MOVED 15 points clear at the summit of the United Rugby Championship after a strong second-half display helped them to claim a bonus-point triumph over Cardiff at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

While it was a far from perfect performance at times, an experimental Leinster side ultimately made it 12 wins from as many games in the URC this season to put them in a strong position ahead of their upcoming mini tour of South Africa.

Donning the socks of his alma mater St Michael’s College for the URC’s second consecutive ‘Origin Round’, Ross Byrne (who will depart the eastern province for Gloucester at the end of the current season) kicked a brace of early penalties to touch in a bid to produce an early breakthrough try for Leinster.

While their first attempt at a lineout maul didn’t pay dividends, the hosts eventually broke the deadlock when Leinster hooker John McKee applied the finishing touches to a set-piece move.

This looked set to be the catalyst for a dominant opening period performance from Leo Cullen’s men, but their Welsh counterparts had other ideas. After making a powerful break into the Leinster half in the direct aftermath of McKee’s five-pointer, Cardiff fullback Cam Winnett passed out wide for winger Harri Millard to race over in the left-hand corner for a 17th-minute try.

Although a wayward conversion from Callum Sheedy kept them in the ascendancy, there would have been concern within the Leinster ranks that their line was breached off Cardiff’s first meaningful attack of the game. The Welsh region, on the other hand, grew in confidence after opening their account and were through for a second try just shy of the half-hour mark – bustling back-row Thomas Young driving over powerfully from a few metres out.

Formerly an Ireland U19 7s player before becoming a 15s international with his native Wales, Sheedy added the bonuses to this latest effort to move Cardiff into a five-point cushion.

This lead looked set to remain intact at the interval when McKee was held up on the line off a subsequent attack, but there was enough time left for Leinster to turn the tide in their favour. Back on Leinster duty after making his Ireland senior bow against Wales last weekend, Jack Boyle got on the end of a prolonged move for a stoppage-time try on the left flank.

A successful touchline bonus strike from Byrne ensured Leinster led 14-12 at the beginning of the second half and within three minutes of the restart, their cushion was extended as a result of Max Deegan crashing over for a third converted try – moments after Cardiff’s Alex Mann had been sent to the sin-bin.

In advance of the latter returning to the field of play, Leinster sealed their ninth try bonus of the campaign when McGrath seized on a loose ball to dot down in clinical fashion.

The half-time introduction of RG Snyman had shown that the URC pace-setters meant business on the resumption and with inside centre Charlie Tector breaking over for his fifth try in just nine appearances this season on 54 minutes, the final outcome was seemingly placed beyond all doubt.

Yet Cardiff continued to pose a threat whenever they found themselves inside enemy territory and when a grubber kick from Winnett bounced awkwardly on the left wing towards the tail end of the third quarter, Millard reacted quickest to touch down for his second try of the game.

This put the Welsh men within sight of a bonus point of their own and when replacement scrum-half Ellis Bevan finished off another enterprising team move on the stroke of 70 minutes, they were guaranteed to leave Dublin with at least a point to show for their efforts.

By this point in the action, a number of Leinster replacements had joined Snyman on the field of play – including debutants Ivan Soroka and Oliver Coffey.

Rob Russell was also introduced for his first competitive outing since an opening-day victory on the road against Edinburgh back in late September and following a lengthy consultation between the match officials, he was awarded a 76th-minute try that rounded off another URC victory for the Irish province.

Leinster scorers:

Tries – John McKee, Jack Boyle, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Charlie Tector, Rob Russell
Conversions – Ross Byrne [6/6]

Cardiff scorers:

Tries – Harri Millard 2, Thomas Young, Ellis Bevan
Conversions – Callum Sheedy [1/3], Tinus De Beer [1/1]

LEINSTER: Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien (Rob Russell ’61), Hugh Cooney (Liam Turner ’77), Charlie Tector, Andrew Osborne; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath (Oliver Coffey ’70); Jack Boyle (Ivan Soroka ’70), John McKee (Stephen Smyth ’57), Rabah Slimani (Rory McGuire ’70); Diarmuid Mangan (RG Snyman half-time), Brian Deeny; Alex Soroka, Will Connors (Scott Penny 63), Max Deegan.

CARDIFF: Cam Winnett (Tinus De Beer ’41-52); Gabe Hamer-Webb, Rey Lee-Lo, Rory Jennings, Harri Millard (Regan Grace ‘63); Callum Sheedy (Tinus De Beer ’70), Johan Mulder (Ellis Bevan ‘63); Danny Southworth (Rhys Barratt ’52-61), Liam Belcher (Efan Daniel ’65), Rhys Litterick (Will Davies-King ’52); Josh McNally (Alex Mann ’33), Rory Thornton; Ben Donnell (Seb Davies ‘63), Thomas Young, Alun Lawrence.

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR).