RUGBY NEWS
Sexton back in Leinster colours
By Daire Walsh
JUST under two-and-a-half years on from his last appearance for the province, Johnny Sexton finally made his eagerly-awaited return to the colours of Leinster on Sunday afternoon.
Following a two-season stint in the Top 14 with Racing Metro, Sexton has returned to the club where he first rose to prominence, and it proved to be a winning comeback for the former St Mary’s College star against Benetton Treviso at Stadio di Monigo.
Sexton started at half-back with regular international compatriot Eoin Reddan, and they were joined by a host of players from Ireland’s Rugby World Cup squad. Luke Fitzgerald and Dave Kearney featured in a formidable back line, while Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong and Jordi Murphy (a try-scorer in Ireland’s quarter-final defeat to Argentina) were all handed their first provincial starts of the campaign by Leo Cullen.
The presence of Cronin and Richardt Strauss in Leinster’s match day squad moved James Tracy down the front-row pecking order, but thanks to his impressive form in the opening weeks of the season, Fergus McFadden retained his place in the back-three, where he was joined by Isa Nacewa and Kearney.
The inclusion of Nacewa heralded a new era of sorts in Leinster, as he was announced as the club captain for the coming term last Friday. He had assumed the role of temporary skipper in the aftermath of Kevin McLaughlin’s retirement, but with last season’s leader – Naas native Jamie Heaslip – fulfilling a joint vice-captain role along with Sexton, it is the former the Fiji international who will take on this pivotal position for 2015/16.
With a total of 12 Irish internationals in the starting line-up, Leinster were expected to record their fourth league win of the term. Indeed, they made a bright start to the proceedings with a try from Jack McGrath, which was converted in confident fashion by Sexton.
Treviso responded with a successful penalty by Jayden Hayward, but with another touchdown from the in-form Nacewa being supplemented by an earlier McFadden three-pointer, the visitors led 15-3 at the break.
This put Leinster in pole position when the action resumed, and courtesy of further tries from Ben Te’o and Jack Conan, Leinster finished with 24 points to spare (27-3). This bonus-point victory moves the Blue Army onto 19 points in the Guinness Pro12 table, where they currently occupy fourth place – just below Connacht and Munster.
In addition to the conclusion of the World Cup Finals (which ended in a victorious style for New Zealand against Australia), there was also plenty of action in the Ulster Bank League. Athy’s Joey Carbery was instrumental in Clontarf’s Division 1A win over Terenure College on Friday evening, but it was a disappointing day at the office for Naas in Division 2A the following afternoon.
They suffered an 11-0 reversal to Banbridge in Rifle Park, which is a result that sees them dropping to fourth place in the table. It was also a disappointing weekend for MU Barnhall, who were defeated by Armagh in Division 2B on a scoreline of 29-15.