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Noel Reid evades Peter Murchie to score a try. ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne
AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Leinster v Glasgow Warriors, RaboDirect PRO12

Matt O’Connor’s men have several players seeking to play themselves into Six Nations contention.

LEINSTER WELCOMED GLASGOW Warriors to the RDS as they sought to keep up their winning league run and put the squeeze on rivals Munster.

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Good evening one. Good evening all. We are at a chilly RDS, watching the end of the Munster game [with Leinster manager Guy Easterby] as kick-off nears.

Here is the Leinster team:

Leinster: Zane Kirchner; Darragh Fanning, Fergus McFadden, Noel Reid, Sam Coghlan-Murray; Ian Madigan, Eoin Reddan; Jack McGrath, Sean Cronin, Martin Moore; Leo Cullen (capt.), Mike McCarthy; Rhys Ruddock, Shane Jennings; Jordi Murphy.

Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Michael Bent, Mike Ross, Tom Denton, Dominic Ryan, Isaac Boss, Jimmy Gopperth, Darren Hudson.

Here is the Glasgow Warriors team, with a late change at tight-head:

Glasgow: Peter Murchie; Tommy Seymour, R Vernon, Finn Russell, Niko Matawalu; R Jackson, C Cusiter (capt.); Gordon Reid, Pat MacArthur, Ed Kalman; Tim Swinson, Johnny Gray; James Eddie, Robert Harley, Josh Strauss.

Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jerry Yanuyanutawa, Jon Welsh, Leone Nakarawa, Tyrone Holmes, Henry Pyrgos, Mark Bennett, Lee Jones.

KICK-OFF

1 min - Scrappy start and a Leinster knock-on. First scrum coming up.

3 mins - Kirchner looking bright in attack and making ground. Madigan’s grubber forces a 5m line-out for the home side after a harrying chase by Coghlan-Murray. Rollling maul but the ball comes loose and Glasgow clear.

TRY! Leinster 7-0 Glasgow Warriors (Reid ’4)

Superb burst up the centre by Reid, nice shoulder drop on the 22 and he is home free. That came out of nowhere. Madigan converts.

7 mins - Super take under the high ball from Darragh Fanning on the right wing. Glasgow pinged for going offside on the next kick-chase.

TRY: Leinster 7-7 Glasgow Warriors (Russell ’9)

Well then. Nice sniping run from Chris Cusiter as he beats two men in broken play, draws Kirchner in and tees up Finn Russell to dive over close to the posts. Converted too.

10 mins - I did Ruairidh Jackson a disservice. It was his break and pass that set up that Russell try. Leinster on the attack, in response, and Jack McGrath gets a scrum lecture from Nigel Owens. Home put-in 10m from the Scots’ line…

13 mins - A good few scrum re-sets by Owens. Cusiter all over Reddan like a rash but he flicks a pass to Fanning on the dash. He can’t get his pass away and it is smuggled from his grasp.

PEN: Leinster 10-7 Glasgow Warriors (Madigan ’17)

Play eventually called back for a penalty. Scrum infringement. Madigan slots it over.

20 mins - Some large sections of empty seats in the uncovered RDS stands. Rugby overload with the Six Nations. Perhaps the nation is still reeling after last night’s Late Late Show slugfest.

Murchie spills a high ball but it trickles back. Glasgow clear before McFadden makes some ground in midfield. Leinster get done for a line-out throw that is not straight. Extra homework for Sean Cronin.

22 mins - Kirchner too the rescue after Tommy Seymour busts Fanning’s tackle and screams up the left wing. The fullback hit hit hard, 10m from the Leinster line.

TRY: Leinster 10-12 Glasgow Warriors (Vernon ’23)

Leinster are committed to defending their line close in. Warriors whip it wide and Vernon steams through a weak Coghlan-Murray tackle attempt. Conversion missed.

PEN: Leinster 13-12 Glasgow Warriors (Madigan ’26)

Poor Glasgow discipline in defence and Madigan strokes over a 35m penalty to edge his side ahead again.

PEN: Leinster 16-12 Glasgow Warriors (Madigan ’29)

Here come the swirling rains but it does not deter Madigan, who scores from about 38m out after the Scots are pinged at the breakdown.

31 mins - Great work from McGrath and Jennings to stop Warriors from building phases. McFadden wrapped Vernon low in a tackle and the forwards hit the next men up. Flanker James Eddie is then lectured by Owens and Leinster opt for the kick for an attacking line-out.

32 mins - Keystone cops antics as Leinster pop up two fake jumpers and Cronin misses McCarthy at the back. They regain possession and Reddan sneaks under a tackle to set up Jennings for a charge. Staunch Scottish defence follows.

Jordi Murphy and Tim Swinson Jordi Murphy meets a Glasgow Warrior. ©INPHO / Ryan Byrne ©INPHO / Ryan Byrne / Ryan Byrne

33 mins - Short line-out from Cronin. Rolling maul and Jennings goes close. After multiple phases on the Glasgow line we have a TMO…

35 mins - That ball changed hands three times in the maul. Ruddock was the last to try his luck but came up short. Attacking try the decision. All the while, Coghlan-Murray and Kirchner were unmarked on the left but ’tis the season for rolling mauls.

37 mins - Reddan spins 360 but can’t snipe over. Madigan plays scrum-half. Numbers out wide…

TRY! Leinster 21-12 Glasgow Warriors (Fanning ’37)

Great hands, slick stuff and Fanning dives over unopposed. Well picked out wide by Kirchner. Madigan is left and wide with his conversion.

39 mins - Jordi Murphy penalised for going offside.

PEN: Leinster 21-15 Glasgow Warriors (Russell ’40)

Not the greatest of halves for Murphy. Russell slots a medium-ranger over to bring play to a close.

HALF-TIME

What did you make of all that? Glasgow always out up a fight in Dublin.

Leo Cullen leads the boys in Blue back onto the pitch. I’ll miss his mug when he’s gone (from playing). Forwards coach next season, of course.

KICK-OFF

Leinster pinged at the breakdown. Warriors kick for the line. Nice pressure from the visitors but Jennings holds them up. We have a scrum.

43 mins - Marty Moore having a great day at the scrummaging office. He wins a penalty for his side.

44 mins - Madigan tries to break free on half-way but he spills forward. The then tries a grubber 22 drop out that he kicks off Reid’s ankle to put his side in trouble. Warriors inside the 22.

46 minutes - Josh Strauss you bull! He busts through two tackle attempts and pops an offload to Cusiter, who falls 2m short. We have a video replay out to the right of the posts…

TRY GLASGOW! It’s given.

Leinster 21-22 Glasgow Warriors (Matawalu ’49)

The winger is being credited with it but I think it may have been James or another back-row. Tough to tell.

52 mins - Sign of who may be starting in the front-row against Italy? Moore called off after 50 mins for Mike Ross. Strauss on for Cronin.

Great kick-chase by Coghlan-Murray and it wins Leinster a scrum 30m from the Scots’ line.

54 mins - Reid is having a fine game. Nice footwork to beat two white jerseys and get to within 10m of the Glasgow line. Fanning has a dart next but we have a hold-up due to injury.

55 mins - Lineout — Strauss to Cullen. Rolling maul and the crowd call for a TMO but we’re getting an attacking scrum instead.

56 mins - C’mon you boys in Blue they wail as Leinster heave into a re-set scrum. Boss is on for Reddan, I forget to mention. Owens is some scrummaging pedant. This is taking an age. Leinster eventually get the penalty. They call for… another scrum.

Rob Kearney acts as waterboy That waterboy looks familiar... ©INPHO / Ryan Byrne ©INPHO / Ryan Byrne / Ryan Byrne

58 mins - Leinster look to Murphy once, twice and again but the Scots hold firm. They think they have a numbers mismatch out wide but Warriors scramble across well until…

TRY! Leinster 28-22 Glasgow Warriors (Ruddock ’60)

Big score and the pressure tells. Leinster bashing down the door and Glasgow can’t hold them out any more. Ruddock spots a gap and dives over to ground the ball. Madigan nails the touchline conversion.

62 mins - The scrum has lost some of its pep since Cronin and Moore went off. It crumples on this occasion and Glasgow get the penalty. Quick tap and they’re off. Still anyone’s game this.

63 mins - Not much in the way of attacking highlights for McFadden but he puts in a big midfield hit and holds his man up in the tackle before the Glasgow cavalry arrives. Jennings off, Dominic Ryan on.

67 mins - We have a scrum just outside the Leinster 22. Glasgow could steal ahead yet with a converted try. With Munster losing earlier, Leinster will be very, very keen to get the four points.

69 mins - Hefty Ryan tackles forces a forward spill and another scrum. Glasgow have unleashed Devin Toner’s much bigger cousin, Leone Nakarawa off the bench. Man. Mountain.

70 mins – Plain awful Boss box-kick puts his side under pressure. Some scrambling ensues before Fanning pounces on a loose ball with nobody home behind him. Crucial that. McGrath off and Michael Bent sprints/ambles on.

72 mins - Pass slightly ahead of Coghlan-Murray but he can’t hold on. Would-be attack turns into line-out defence but Leinster get possession back after some big hits.

73 mins - Here comes Mr Bonus Point a.k.a Darren Hudson. Coghlan-Murray’s evening’s work is at an end. Penalty conceded by Leinster and Glasgow can get to within three points.

PEN: Leinster 28-25 Glasgow Warriors (Russell ’76)

Over it goes from 33m out. Ryan called for not releasing.

78 mins - Biblical rains lashing both sides now but Leinster on the attack. Keep the ball should be order of the day now.

79 mins - Leinster in possession as the clock runs down…

80 mins - Over and out. Fanning gets named MOTM. Leinster go top of the Pro12.

FULL-TIME: LEINSTER 28-25 GLASGOW WARRIORS

Cheers for the company. Stay with us for some post-match reaction and a report of the evening’s proceedings.

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