Leinster 40
Harlequins 21
Ciarán Kennedy reports from the Aviva Stadium
YES, YES, WE know – it’s only pre-season. Still, Leinster supporters can be forgiven for leaving the Aviva Stadium with a spring in their step tonight as the Pro14 champions dusted off the cobwebs to produce a stylish, efficient display against last season’s Premiership winners Harlequins in an entertaining friendly fixture.
Both head coaches will play down the significance of the result, so, what will Leo Cullen have enjoyed about this game?
For a start, it was good to see Ireland captain Johnny Sexton back on a pitch after his mini sabbatical. The out-half looked sharp and hungry at the Aviva, playing a key role in the opening score before a well-executed chip-through ended with him bundling Tyrone Green into the ground over the Harlequins tryline.
Centre Conor O’Brien was also back in blue for the first time since February 2020, while back row Max Deegan returned after almost a year out with a long-term knee issue.
He will also have enjoyed the ambition and confidence displayed by Chris Cosgrave – who is only in his first year with the Leinster Academy – the young fullback attacking with intent and showing some neat touches with the boot during the early exchanges.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to kick into gear. Sexton and Rob Russell combined well to get Leinster up the pitch, only for Russell to be flattened by Louis Lynagh as the ground opened up in front of him. Leinster did well to recycle the ball out wide, where Conor O’Brien was on hand to cross for the first try of the game with just over two minutes played. Sexton, back on a rugby pitch for the first time in five months, slotted the conversion and Leinster were up and running for the 2021/22 season.
Cullen will be less pleased with his side responded, Luke Northmore powering over after a strong carry from Dino Lamb. Tommy Allan added the extras and the sides were level after a high-tempo start.
Leinster continued to enjoy most of the play until a lengthy stoppage brought the game to a halt, as Cosgrave, on another sluicing run forward, was cut down with a high shot from Andre Esterhuizen, the Harlequins centre perhaps lucky to only receive a yellow card for his troubles. Cosgrave eventually left the field on a stretcher, giving a thumbs up to the crowd as his Leinster teammates clapped him off.
Then Leinster began to take control. Rhys Ruddock crashed over the line following strong carries from Deegan and debutant Michael Ala’alatoa, with Sexton clipping over the conversion.
They had another moments later. Devin Toner went full stretch to intercept a loose Northmore chip, with Leinster moving the ball out wide at speed, where Liam Turner and James Lowe combined well before Sexton slid over for try number three, the captain then nailing a difficult conversion from the left sideline.
At that point it was hard to see a way back for the Premiership champions, who already had one pre-season game under their belt after beating Cardiff Blues last weekend.
They had conceded a fourth try less than five minutes later, two beautiful passes from Turner and Sexton allowing the lively Jamie Osborne to cross before the commanding Sexton again added the conversion.
Harlequins tried to find a way back into the contest, but now Leinster were well and truly in the mood. Osborne sent an inch-perfect kick to touch. Sexton cut down Lynagh when a Harlequins try looked certain. Scott Penny and Brian Deeny clamped onto Jack Kenningham as Leinster forced a penalty. The crowd voiced their appreciation.
Harlequins battered at the line but couldn’t find any way through, with Devin Toner shown yellow just before Andrew Brace called time as Leinster went in 28-7 up after a hugely promising opening 40 minutes. Cullen used the break to freshen his team up, removing Sexton and his entire front row from the action after a very productive outing.
Leinster were over for try number five less than two minutes after the restart, Baird bursting clear to bring the hosts past the 30-point mark. Game over.
Harlequins thought they had hit back when Joe Marchant raced over from 50 metres out, only to see the score crossed off for a knock-out. He was back over the line two minutes later after latching onto a lovely nudge from Danny Care. This time, the score stood.
From there the contest petered out, Cullen making full use of his bench as both teams took their foot of the gas.
The dip in tempo allowed the London side claw back Leinster’s lead, Sam Reilly peeling off a maul to take advantage of a rare slip in concentration from the high side.
Yet that only sparked Leinster back into life, Cullen’s side going back down the pitch and Turner sniping onto a loose ball to bag try number six, with Byrne’s conversion bringing them to the 40-point mark.
This was the only pre-season game in Leinster’s diary before the United Rugby Championship opener against the Bulls on 25 September. Based on tonight’s evidence, they look in pretty decent nick.
Leinster scorers:
Tries: O’Brien, Ruddock, Sexton, Osborne, Baird, Turner
Conversions: Sexton [4/4], Byrne [1/2]
Penalty:
Harlequins scorers:
Tries: Northmore, Marchant, Reilly
Conversions: Allan [3/3]
LEINSTER: Chris Cosgrave (Liam Turner, 24); Rob Russell (Niall Comerford HT), Jamie Osborne, Conor O’Brien (David Hawkshaw 50), James Lowe (Rob Russell 65); Johnny Sexton (captain) (Ross Byrne HT), Luke McGrath (Cormac Foley HT); Peter Dooley (Cian Healy HT), Dan Sheehan (Sean Cronin HT), Michael Ala’alatoa (Vakh Abdaladze HT); Devin Toner, Brian Deeny (Ross Molony HT); Rhys Ruddock (Ryan Baird 34), Scott Penny (Martin Moloney HT), Max Deegan (Scott Penny 62).
Yellow card: Devin Toner 40
HARLEQUINS: Tyrone Green (Nick David 67); Joe Marchant, Luke Northmore (Cadan Murley 40), Andre Esterhuizen (Huw Jones 62), Louis Lynagh; Tommy Allan (Will Edwards 75), Danny Care (Matas Jurevicius 58); Santiago Garcia Botta (Fin Baxter 40) (Simon Kerrod 79), Jack Walker (Sam Riley 56), Simon Kerrod (Will Collier 56); Hugh Tizard, Dino Lamb (George Hammond 75); Tom Lawday, Jack Kenningham (Luke Wallace 65), Alex Dombrandt (Archie White 69).
Yellow card: Esterhuizen 23
Referee: Andrew Brace [IRFU]
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