THE BOISTEROUS BRASS band up in the northwest corner of Stade Jean-Dauger were tempted to move into celebratory mode as the minutes ticked by and Bayonne got closer and closer to a famous victory over Leinster.
Yet they were silenced by the Irish province’s twin playmakers with just over five to go, replacement fullback Sam Prendergast gathering a wickedly bouncing chip kick from out-half Harry Byrne to score under the posts when it looked like this one might slip away from Leinster.
Their overall performance in the rain in Bayonne had been lacklustre, but they kept at their task with composure and that Prendergast score saw them finally lead for the first time in the game. Blindside flanker Max Deegan soon added another to make sure of the win.
There must have been huge relief among Leo Cullen – who had warned that this would be a battle – and his coaching staff.
It means Leinster have won four from four in the pool stages of the Champions Cup and though they might not get top two seeding after missing out on a try-scoring bonus point in Bayonne, they’ll be at home in the Round of 16 in early April.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Cullen and co. know that this team need to be delivering better, more consistent rugby by then. For now, they’ll be relieved to have gritted out this victory on the road.
There was bad news on the injury front here for Leinster and Ireland, with the Six Nations opener against France only two-and-a-half weeks away.
Tadhg Furlong was forced off in the first half, with Robbie Henshaw soon limping off, before Tommy O’Brien was replaced early in the second half, with Jimmy O’Brien also forced off later. Ireland boss Andy Farrell will be concerned.
However, it was encouraging to see Ciarán Frawley completing the warm-up with Leinster after suffering an ankle injury last time out against La Rochelle, while loosehead prop Jack Boyle had a positive return to action.
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Bayonne, meanwhile, will be sickened that this one got away from them. They were muscular in contact, buoyed by the brilliant home support, and scored a lovely first-half try. The Basques deserve major credit for their part in limiting Leinster.
But Leinster’s superior bench made a big difference as the likes of Sheehan, Joe McCarthy, and Prendergast helped the Irish province to get the job done.
JJ Kenny goes close for Leinster. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Leinster had trailed 10-3 at the break after a first half in which they enjoyed more of the territory and possession but couldn’t put the finishing touches to a few promising situations.
Two cross kicks from Byrne evaded wings Tommy O’Brien and JJ Kenny, while replacement tighthead Thomas Clarkson had a possible score chalked off for double movement.
Byrne’s penalty off the tee were the only points Leinster had to show for their efforts against the fierce Bayonne resistance, but the home team were able to manufacture a clever, clinical try just 15 minutes in.
It came on first phase from a left-hand-side lineout just inside Leinster’s half, with out-half Joris Segonds drawing Garry Ringrose outfield to leave space for wing Yohan Orabé to scorch through the Leinster midfield off Manu Tuilagi’s well-timed backdoor pass. Orabé broke upfield and calmly sent centre Sireli Maqala over under the posts.
Segonds converted and later added three points off the tee, leaving Bayonne sitting pretty at the break.
Leinster continued to huff and puff in the second half but it took until the 56th minute for Sheehan to cross at the end of a brilliant try that featured a powerful maul, JJ Kenny’s half-break and offload, Prendergast’s wide pass, and O’Brien’s clever offload back inside to the hooker. That score came with Bayonne scrum-half Herschel Jantjies in the sin bin.
Joris Segonds kicks a penalty. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
McCarthy was soon caught offside, allowing Bayonne to nudge back ahead at 13-10 with 20 minutes to go, but that was to be the home team’s last score.
They had been playing for much of the game, but it suddenly looked like Leinster had taken the lead for the first time in the rain in Bayonne.
Leinster thought they were in front a couple of minutes later, but TMO Stuart Terheege spotted the knock-on over the line from O’Brien, who had initially done so well to reel in a classy Prendergast grubber kick.
Segonds missed a shot at goal with just over 10 minutes to go and Leinster were able to find a potent finish with those tries from Prendergast and Deegan, the latter coming from Sheehan claiming a Bayonne lineout overthrow.
Job done and onto the next one.
Bayonne scorers:
Tries: Sireli Maqala
Conversions: Joris Segonds [1 from 1]
Penalties: Joris Segonds [2 from 3]
Leinster scorers:
Tries: Dan Sheehan, Sam Prendergast, Max Deegan
Conversions: Harry Byrne [2 from 3]
Penalties: Harry Byrne [1 from 1]
AVIRON BAYONNAIS: Cheikh Tiberghien; Tom Spring, Sireli Maqala, Manu Tuilagi (Guillaume Martocq ’50), Yohan Orabe (Victor Hannoun ’73); Joris Segonds, Herschel Jantjies (yellow card ’50); Ignacio Calles (Emosi Tumania ’60), Lucas Martin (Facundo Bosch ’52), Luke Tagi (Emerick Setiano ’52); Ewan Johnson, Lucas Paulos; Alexandre Fischer, Arthur Iturria (captain) (Baptiste Heguy ’46), Nika Lomidze (Manex Ariceta ’54).
Replacement not used: Alvaro Garcia Iandolino.
LEINSTER: Jimmy O’Brien (Luke McGrath ’66); Tommy O’Brien (Sam Prendergast ’41), Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw (Rieko Ioane ’35), Joshua Kenny; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Boyle (Jerry Cahir ’71), Rónan Kelleher (Dan Sheehan ’46), Tadhg Furlong (Thomas Clarkson ’16); RG Snyman (Joe McCarthy ’55), James Ryan; Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier (Scott Penny ’75), Caelan Doris (captain).
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Late flurry sees Leinster over the line after battle with Bayonne
Bayonne 13
Leinster 22
THE BOISTEROUS BRASS band up in the northwest corner of Stade Jean-Dauger were tempted to move into celebratory mode as the minutes ticked by and Bayonne got closer and closer to a famous victory over Leinster.
Yet they were silenced by the Irish province’s twin playmakers with just over five to go, replacement fullback Sam Prendergast gathering a wickedly bouncing chip kick from out-half Harry Byrne to score under the posts when it looked like this one might slip away from Leinster.
Their overall performance in the rain in Bayonne had been lacklustre, but they kept at their task with composure and that Prendergast score saw them finally lead for the first time in the game. Blindside flanker Max Deegan soon added another to make sure of the win.
There must have been huge relief among Leo Cullen – who had warned that this would be a battle – and his coaching staff.
It means Leinster have won four from four in the pool stages of the Champions Cup and though they might not get top two seeding after missing out on a try-scoring bonus point in Bayonne, they’ll be at home in the Round of 16 in early April.
Cullen and co. know that this team need to be delivering better, more consistent rugby by then. For now, they’ll be relieved to have gritted out this victory on the road.
There was bad news on the injury front here for Leinster and Ireland, with the Six Nations opener against France only two-and-a-half weeks away.
Tadhg Furlong was forced off in the first half, with Robbie Henshaw soon limping off, before Tommy O’Brien was replaced early in the second half, with Jimmy O’Brien also forced off later. Ireland boss Andy Farrell will be concerned.
However, it was encouraging to see Ciarán Frawley completing the warm-up with Leinster after suffering an ankle injury last time out against La Rochelle, while loosehead prop Jack Boyle had a positive return to action.
Bayonne, meanwhile, will be sickened that this one got away from them. They were muscular in contact, buoyed by the brilliant home support, and scored a lovely first-half try. The Basques deserve major credit for their part in limiting Leinster.
But Leinster’s superior bench made a big difference as the likes of Sheehan, Joe McCarthy, and Prendergast helped the Irish province to get the job done.
Leinster had trailed 10-3 at the break after a first half in which they enjoyed more of the territory and possession but couldn’t put the finishing touches to a few promising situations.
Two cross kicks from Byrne evaded wings Tommy O’Brien and JJ Kenny, while replacement tighthead Thomas Clarkson had a possible score chalked off for double movement.
Byrne’s penalty off the tee were the only points Leinster had to show for their efforts against the fierce Bayonne resistance, but the home team were able to manufacture a clever, clinical try just 15 minutes in.
It came on first phase from a left-hand-side lineout just inside Leinster’s half, with out-half Joris Segonds drawing Garry Ringrose outfield to leave space for wing Yohan Orabé to scorch through the Leinster midfield off Manu Tuilagi’s well-timed backdoor pass. Orabé broke upfield and calmly sent centre Sireli Maqala over under the posts.
Segonds converted and later added three points off the tee, leaving Bayonne sitting pretty at the break.
Leinster continued to huff and puff in the second half but it took until the 56th minute for Sheehan to cross at the end of a brilliant try that featured a powerful maul, JJ Kenny’s half-break and offload, Prendergast’s wide pass, and O’Brien’s clever offload back inside to the hooker. That score came with Bayonne scrum-half Herschel Jantjies in the sin bin.
McCarthy was soon caught offside, allowing Bayonne to nudge back ahead at 13-10 with 20 minutes to go, but that was to be the home team’s last score.
They had been playing for much of the game, but it suddenly looked like Leinster had taken the lead for the first time in the rain in Bayonne.
Leinster thought they were in front a couple of minutes later, but TMO Stuart Terheege spotted the knock-on over the line from O’Brien, who had initially done so well to reel in a classy Prendergast grubber kick.
Segonds missed a shot at goal with just over 10 minutes to go and Leinster were able to find a potent finish with those tries from Prendergast and Deegan, the latter coming from Sheehan claiming a Bayonne lineout overthrow.
Job done and onto the next one.
Bayonne scorers:
Tries: Sireli Maqala
Conversions: Joris Segonds [1 from 1]
Penalties: Joris Segonds [2 from 3]
Leinster scorers:
Tries: Dan Sheehan, Sam Prendergast, Max Deegan
Conversions: Harry Byrne [2 from 3]
Penalties: Harry Byrne [1 from 1]
AVIRON BAYONNAIS: Cheikh Tiberghien; Tom Spring, Sireli Maqala, Manu Tuilagi (Guillaume Martocq ’50), Yohan Orabe (Victor Hannoun ’73); Joris Segonds, Herschel Jantjies (yellow card ’50); Ignacio Calles (Emosi Tumania ’60), Lucas Martin (Facundo Bosch ’52), Luke Tagi (Emerick Setiano ’52); Ewan Johnson, Lucas Paulos; Alexandre Fischer, Arthur Iturria (captain) (Baptiste Heguy ’46), Nika Lomidze (Manex Ariceta ’54).
Replacement not used: Alvaro Garcia Iandolino.
LEINSTER: Jimmy O’Brien (Luke McGrath ’66); Tommy O’Brien (Sam Prendergast ’41), Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw (Rieko Ioane ’35), Joshua Kenny; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jack Boyle (Jerry Cahir ’71), Rónan Kelleher (Dan Sheehan ’46), Tadhg Furlong (Thomas Clarkson ’16); RG Snyman (Joe McCarthy ’55), James Ryan; Max Deegan, Josh van der Flier (Scott Penny ’75), Caelan Doris (captain).
Referee: Luke Pearce [RFU].
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Aviron Bayonnais Bayonne hard fought Leinster