Leinster 29
Ospreys 7
Ciarán Kennedy reports from the RDS
LEINSTER’S RETURNING IRELAND internationals made their presence felt as the province laboured their way past the Ospreys at a wet and greasy RDS.
While they never looked troubled, this was a game Leo Cullen’s side will feel they could have won by more, but a bonus-point win and clean bill of health represents a decent night’s work as the province moved back into top spot in the United Rugby Championship table.
The Monday morning review will highlight a lack of accuracy and poor execution in places, but Leinster got the job done thanks to some massive impact from their bench, Rhys Ruddock and Sean Cronin making some big plays while the returning James Lowe served up another moment of magic for the highlights reel, adding to earlier tries by Jordan Larmour and Cian Healy before Scott Penny eventually supplied the bonus point score.
Ross Byrne kicked the opening points of the game, slotting an early penalty after flanker Martin Moloney made a sharp break in from the right after some excellent work by Larmour, the Ireland wing dipping and ducking his way out of traffic before firing a smart offload.
Ospreys’ poor disciple would be a recurring theme across the first half, the Welsh side coughing up penalty after penalty – eight in total across the first 40 minutes of play – with Leinster failing to take advantage.
Early in the opening quarter Leinster found themselves camped inside the Ospreys 22 as the infringements piled up, the home kicking to the corner at every opportunity without punching the Ospreys defence, the visitors eventually winning back possession to relieve the pressure.
Leinster looked more dangerous when they got their running game going, but the final pass was just eluding them. Then it clicked. Ryan Baird kick-started the move deep in his own half to launch the attack. Healy added a big carry inside the Ospreys 22, before a quick recycle saw Ross Byrne slip through a neat grubber for Larmour, the wing showing superb pace to win the footrace and dot down the game’s opening try, his fifth in eight starts this season. Byrne added the extras and Leinster looked in control.
They continued to dominate possession without landing the necessary punches.
A well-worked lineout move brought nice involvements from Jamie Osborne and Harry Byrne and ended with Luke McGrath stepping inside for what looked like try number two, only for the score to be crossed out for a double knock-on in the build-up.
All the while Ospreys continued to struggle with their discipline, number eight Morgan Morris eventually seeing yellow after being pinged for offside.
With a man advantage, Leinster continued to press for that second score, and it soon arrived through Cian Healy, the loosehead powering over from close range with three Ospreys defenders clinging out of him. Byrne clipped the conversion at Leinster were 15-0 clear with 30 minutes played.
They wouldn’t build on that lead before the break despite enjoying 72% of the territory in the opening period. The opportunites were there for them, but Leinster were missing their usual clinical edge.
Scott Penny put the head down but was held up over the line. Dave Kearney – who had made a bright start to the game – carried into contact when the equally lively Jamie Osborne was cutting through on a superb line. Just after the break, Harry Byrne – starting at centre for the first time in his Leinster career – looked primed to break forward, only to spill the ball loose as the rain teemed down.
With 50 minutes on the clock, Leinster had eight handling errors to their name and needed to lift things. Enter the cavalry; Lowe, Peter Dooley, Ruddock and Cronin – making his 200th apperance for the province – all entering the action.
Lowe was no doubt keen to impress as he came in for his first apperance since recovering from the muscle injury was saw him miss the opening rounds of the Six Nations, and the winger had the crowd on their feet within minutes thanks to an electrifying piece of superb individual play.
With Ospreys enjoying a rare spell of territory in the Leinster 22, the Welsh side lost possession and Leinster launched a brilliant counter-attack, Ross Byrne sending an inch-perfect cross-field from deep to Jimmy O’Brien out wide, who played the ball back infield to Lowe. With three-quarters of the pitch ahead of him, Lowe burst forward at pace and produced an excellent step to skip past Luke Morgan and go over.
Ospreys then responded against the run of play, scrum-half Rhys Webb doing well to snipe through a gap and step his opposite number, Luke McGrath, to finally put the visitors on the scoreboard.
With 15 minutes left to play, Leinster went in search of a bonus point try that had somehow eluded them up to that point. Peter Dooley thought he had it went he muscled over in the corner, but a TMO check stated the ball hadn’t been grounded.
Leinster’s next attack saw them turn their attentions to the opposite corner, with Scott Penny eventually getting over after another well-worked Leinster lineout. Byrne kicked his fourth conversion of the night and the crowds began to head for the exits.
It wasn’t the prettiest of Leinster performances, but another comfortable win for the province who are welcoming back some key players ahead of a crucial part of the season.
Leinster scorers:
Tries: Larmour, Healy, Lowe, Penny
Conversions: R Byrne [3/4]
Penalty: R Byrne [1/1]
Ospreys scorers:
Try: Webb
Conversion: Anscombe [1/1]
Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien (Adam Byrne, 73); Jordan Larmour, Jamie Osborne, Harry Byrne, Dave Kearney (James Lowe, 54) ; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath (captain) (Nick McCarthy, 63); Cian Healy (Peter Dooley, 54), James Tracy (Seán Cronin, 55), Michael Ala’alatoa (Thomas Clarkson, 10-19 blood, 68); Ross Molony, Ryan Baird (Jack Dunne, 68); Martin Moloney Rhys Ruddock, 54), Scott Penny, Max Deegan.
Ospreys: Dan Evans; Keelan Giles, Michael Collins, Keiran Williams (Tiaan Thomas Wheeler, 76), Luke Morgan; Stephen Myler (Gareth Anscombe, 60), Rhys Webb (captain) (Reuben Morgan Williams, 76); Nicky Smith (Rhodri Jones, 56), Sam Parry (Elvis Taione, 56), Tom Botha (Rhys Henry, 56); Bradley Davies (Lloyd Ashley, 67), Will Griffiths; Ethan Roots, Harri Deaves, Morgan Morris (Dan Lydiate, 56).
Yellow card: Morgan Morris 29
Referee: Andrew Brace [IRFU]
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