RUGBY COLUMN
Blues dominant over disappointing Ulster
By Daire Walsh
Two tries from Suncroft’s Fergus McFadden helped Leinster to continue their memorable start to 2018 at the RDS on Saturday evening, when they had 31 points to spare (38-7) over a disappointing Ulster in the Guinness PRO14.
Jordan Larmour enhanced his ever-growing reputation with an identical haul, and thanks to victories against Connacht and Munster in previous weeks, Leinster finished the recent interprovincial series with a 100% winning ratio.
McFadden and outside centre Garry Ringrose were the only players to retain their places in the starting line-up following a narrow triumph over Connacht at the same venue five days earlier, though there was a spot for Kill native James Tracy in the Blues’ front-row.
An elbow injury forced Tracy out of the action in the 27th minute – his place was taken by Sean Cronin – but Leinster had already established a commanding cushion by that point in the contest. McFadden was restricted to just 10 appearances in the 2016/17 season for a combination of reasons, and had a battle on his hands to regain a regular starting place in the early weeks of this campaign.
However, he has been a first-choice option on the right-wing in recent weeks, and his powerful break provided the spade work for Jordan Larmour’s sixth-minute breakthrough try. McFadden almost claimed his own score from a subsequent attack, but after the play was eventually switched to the left-flank, Barry Daly touched down in clinical fashion.
A last-ditch intervention by Iain Henderson prevented Larmour from adding to his seasonal try tally at the end of the half, but with a 12-0 lead at their disposal, Leinster were in the driving seat at the midway stage.
Larmour had another effort ruled out by the TMO straight after the restart (Jamison Gibson-Park was ruled offside from his initial grubber kick), before McFadden finally secured a third try for the hosts on 48 minutes.
Ross Byrne’s second successful conversion attempt stretched the Blues into a seemingly insurmountable cushion, and following an extraordinary carry out of defence by replacement prop Andrew Porter four minutes later, McFadden added his 23rd try in the Leinster colours.
This ensured that Leinster would emerge with a bonus-point success (their seventh of the competition), and while they made use of their impressive reserve options as the half developed, Larmour claimed a much-deserved second try inside the final-quarter.
A deflated Ulster couldn’t replicate their magnificent second period comeback against Munster on New Year’s Day, and they to wait until the 72nd minute to open their account – a simple finish on the right-hand side by Jacob Stockdale.
Former Leinster scrum-half John Cooney brilliantly split the posts from a touchline conversion, but it was the dominant home team that had the final say in a one-sided affair.
Sexton ended a fruitful cameo appearance with a seven-point salvo, and this places them in a perfect frame of mind ahead of the visit of Glasgow Warriors to the RDS this Sunday for a Champions Cup pool encounter.