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Jonny Sexton touches down. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Italian Job

Leinster run riot against Treviso to set up home semi-final against Ulster

Leo Cullen’s side finish top of the pile.

Leinster 50

Benetton Treviso 19

LEINSTER SET UP a Guinness Pro 12 home semi-final with Ulster after a rampaging 50-19 victory over Treviso at the RDS.

Five second-half tries saw Leinster turn on the style in the RDS to see the Blues through, with a late Treviso rally putting some respectability on the scoreboard.

Johnny Sexton got Leinster moving with nine minutes on the clock, the hosts searching for a bonus point win. Isa Nacewa’s quick feet and zigzag run opening up the Treviso midfield.

Nacewa involved Sexton who fed Rob Kearney, laying off to Dave Kearney who in turn produced the lay-off for Sexton to find the corner.

Sexton however took time to find his kicking boots, missing the conversion from the left touchline.

One big Leinster heave was enough to see Richardt Strauss touch down and make it 10-0 but Sexton failed to convert for a second time. Strauss doubled his tally six minutes later with a cute pick and dive on the line, which Sexton slotted to make it 17-0 at the break.

Five minutes into the second half and Jack McGrath secured Leinster the bonus point, Nacewa the architect once again.

Nacewa duly converted having taken over goal-kicking duties from Sexton who was replaced after an off-the-ball incident involving Marco Lazzarni.

Five minutes later Nacewa landed a deserved try and again was pivotal in the build-up, his cross-field kick finding Ringrose in space, feeding Jordi Murphy who fed Nacewa to score.

Mick Kearney touched down for his first try in Leinster colours on 57 minutes as the Leinster maul swarmed forward and Treviso had Filo Paulo sin binned.

Cullen’s decision to empty the bench around the hour mark, saw an uncertain Leinster thin on the right flank and Marco Lazzaroni duly found Treviso’s first try with Jayden Hayward converting.

Two minutes later Noel Reid’s footwork caught out the Treviso defence, Nacewa slotted over the two points for Leinster to lead 43-7 after 64 minutes.

The visitors added tries from Muccignat on 73 minutes and Hayward converting Bachin’s try two minutes from time.

Leinster though weren’t done however with Garry Ringrose finding the right corner.

Leinster: Rob Kearney (Noel Reid 24), Isa Nacewa, Garry Ringrose, Ben Te’o, Dave Kearney, Johnny Sexton (Cathal Marsh 47), Eoin Reddan (Luke McGrath 69), Jack McGrath (Peter Dooley 55), Richardt Strauss (Sean Cronin 52), Mike Ross (Tadhg Furlong 52), Ross Molony, Mick Kearney (Hayden Triggs 59), Rhys Ruddock (Dominic Ryan 54), Jordi Murphy, Jamie Heaslip

Tries: Sexton, Strauss (2), McGrath, Nacewa, M.Kearney, Reid, Ringrose

Conversions: Sexton, Nacewa (4)

Treviso: Jayden Hayward, Ludovico Nitoglia, Tommaso Iannone (Enrico Bacchin HT), Alberto Sgarbi, Angelo Esposito, Luke McLean, Edoardo Gori (Alberto Lucchese 41), Matteo Zanusso (Matteo Muccignat 69), Ornel Gega (Luca Big 54), Simone Ferrari (Salesi Manu 56), Marco Fuser, Filo Paulo, Francesco Minto (Andrea De Marchi 69), Alessandro Zanni (Marco Lazzaroni HT), Abraham Steyn

Replacement not used: James Ambroini

Try: Lazzaroni, Muccignat, Bacchin

Conversion: Hayward (2)

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

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