Glasgow 10
Leinster 23
Lewis Stuart reports from Scotstoun Stadium
DESPITE MAKING 14 changes from their European squad, Leinster extended their Guinness Pro14 lead and their unbeaten start to their season with their first win at Glasgow Warrior’s home ground since 2012.
Their start could hardly have been much worse as they were fortunate not to give away an early penalty try in a move that sent full-back Hugo Keenan for a spell in the sin bin.
The Scots took full advantage of the space he left vacant as they shifted the ball wide and Ruaridh Jackson, the home full back, cruised over for their opening try.
It could have been even worse with the Glasgow wing Niki Matawalu dipping a sitter of a pass with the line open. That was followed by fly-half Peter Horne missing a simple penalty. Leinster made Glasgow pay with Ross Byrne showing him how it should have been done at the other end.
Glasgow did seem to regain the initiative with Jackson’s second try but that only seemed to relax Leinster as they began to show the kind of rugby that has taken them through the start of the season unbeaten.
They took advantage of the home indiscipline to set up line out. They sent Cain Kelleher in for two tries on the wing, the first set up by Jimmy O’Connor, the centre, the second by Keenan.
With both conversions going over and Horne’s kicking woes continuing, they had a comfortable lead at the break, and used that momentum to start the second half with the same intensity,.
They started to win the forward battles, with the maul a particularly effective weapon.
Scores were hard to come by, however, with Ross Byrne’s penalty the only points of the third quarter, but it was obvious that Leinster were starting to win the collisions and dominating both possession and territory as the home side’s frustration began to show.
It gave Leinster all the attacking pressure they needed, though they were happy to simply stay down the Glasgow end of the field and wait to see what emerged. In the end it brought a third penalty for Ross Byrne and they survived a late scare when both Jackson and Jonny Gray, the lock, were over the line but unable to score.
Glasgow Warriors scorers:
Tries: Ruaridh Jackson (5, 25)
Conversions: Peter Horne [0 from 2]
Penalties: Peter Horne [0 from 1]
Leinster scorers:
Tries: Cian Kelleher (31, 34)
Conversions: Ross Byrne [2 from 2]
Penalties: Ross Byrne [3 from 3]
Glasgow Warriors: Ruaridh Jackson, Tommy Seymour, Huw Jones (Kyle Steyn, 66‘), Sam Johnson (Stafford McDowall, 58‘), Niko Matawalu, Pete Horne, Ali Price (Nick Frisby, 71‘); Oli Kebble (Aki Seiuli, 11‘), George Turner (Grant Stewart, 70‘), D’Arcy Rae (Adam Nicol, 71‘), Tim Swinson (Kiran McDonald, 58‘), Jonny Gray, Rob Harley, Chris Fusaro, Ryan Wilson (C) (Adam Ashe, 66‘).
Leinster Rugby: Hugo Keenan (sin bin: 4-14’), Adam Byrne (Fergus McFadden, 71‘), Jimmy O’Brien, Conor O’Brien, Cian Kelleher, Ross Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park (Hugh O’Sullivan, 77‘), Peter Dooley (Ed Byrne, 41‘), James Tracy (Bryan Byrne, 67‘), Michael Bent (Jack Aungier, 67‘), Ross Molony, Devin Toner, Josh Murphy (Oisín Dowling, 11‘), Will Connors, Caelan Doris.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
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