Leinster 52
Zebre 0
EIGHT TRIES FROM eight different men and zero points on the scoreboard translates to a good night out in anybody’s book.
With the spark provided by replacements Luke McGrath and Cian Kelleher in either half, perhaps the only downside was that the challenge posed here was just a touch too easy for Leinster on a crisp dry night in the RDS.
All eyes were on the star names of Cian Healy and Mike Ross in the front row, but aside from a surprising early grubber kick from Healy – when he looked primed to charge at an isolated defender – it was a solid night’s work for the props returning from injury.
It was the in-form regulars who really set the tone for Leinster. Garry Ringrose blasted through a gap with a terrific line to take his side inside the 22 and set the platform for Hayden Triggs’ ninth minute opener.
The Italians responded with their only trip into the Leinster third of the half, but they would leave left empty handed after Maicol Azzolini missed an angled penalty from 35 metres.
Leinster doubled their lead with a fine try that showcased how effective basic skills can be when done to perfection.
Ross Molony jumped at the front of a line-out to set up a maul. McGrath, an early replacement for Isaac Boss, whipped the ball out the instant it stalled, freeing Cathal Marsh to sprint for a gap in the 22. Kayle van Zyl leaped to haul him down, but he got a pass away to Ben Te’o, who fed Ringrose and the centre gave captain Nacewa an easy finish.
Though dominating possession and territory, there was a mild frustration that Leinster didn’t build on their lead. The cause was just a touch of over-eagerness to go wide rather than use the heft at their disposal.
Five minutes before the interval they blended the heavy and the slick to perfection. The maul halted five metres out, but McGrath was again the quickest to react and he sniped over.
Another piece of McGrath magic paved the way for the bonus point score, the scrum-half getting through a gap to deliver a back-handed pass to James Tracy and the hooker again proved his ability to deliver good passes in tight positions by sending Adam Byrne on his way to an accomplished finish under pressure in the corner.
Ross and Healy departed the scene on 45 and 63 minutes respectively, a valuable blow-out with three Six Nations fixtures still within their reach. However, the raft of replacements that went between them made for a disjointed third quarter of the game for Leinster.
The hosts managed to continue their territorial dominance, but their attacks were running down blind alleys until a searing 59th minute break from Kelleher was stopped five metres from the line, the perfect platform for Jordi Murphy to follow up and sneak over.
A score on the board in the second half and all the replacements used up, all that was left was for Leinster to cut loose. And after Sean Cronin touched down they did just that, Ringrose first finishing off a fine flowing move down the right and then Kelleher showing off his pace with a 50 metre straight run under the posts on counter-attacking ball.
The sight of stranded Zebre defenders trailing in the wake of a blue jersey was a somewhat fitting end to a one-sided night.
Scorers
Leinster:
Tries: H Triggs, I Nacewa, L McGrath, A Byrne, J Murphy, S Croinn, G Ringrose, C Kelleher.
Conversions: I Nacewa (3/4) C Marsh (3/4)
Zebre:
Penalty: M Azzolini (0/1)
Leinster
15. Zane Kirchner
14. Adam Byrne
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Ben Te’o (N Reid ’47)
11. Isa Nacewa (Cian Kelleher ’40)
10. Cathal Marsh
9. Isaac Boss (Luke McGrath ’9)
1. Cian Healy (Peter Dooley ’63)
2. James Tracy ( Sean Cronin ’45)
3. Mike Ross (Michael Bent ’45)
4. Ross Molony
5. Hayden Triggs (Tom Denton ’57)
6. Dominic Ryan ( Dan Leavy ’55)
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Jordi Murphy
Zebre
15. Ulrich Beyers
14. Dion Berryman
13. Tommaso Boni
12. Matteo Patichetti
11. Kayle van Zyl (Giulio Toniolatti ’64)
10. Maicol Azzolini (Mils Muliaina ’55)
9. Luke Burgess
1. Bruno Postiglioni (Andrea de Marchi ’46)
2. Olivero Fabiani (Emiliano Coria ’70)
3. Guillermo Roan (Pietro Ceccarelli ’46)
4. Gideon Koegelenberg
5. Marco Bortolami
6. Emiliano Caffini (Federico Ruzza ’45)
7. Johan Meyer
8. Jean Cook (Filipo Cristiano ’62)
Referee: Ben Whitehouse
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