Sean Farrell reports from the RDS
Leinster 37
Dragons 13
LEINSTER ARE EXCITING to watch again.
It wasn’t just the young faces and the extra space afforded by a Dragons outfit still finding their feet. There are real signs that Leo Cullen has given his team licence to go out and entertain.
Today’s four-try bonus point win came thanks to a very positive gameplan, full of attacking intent and incisive attacks punctuated by the likes of Ben Te’o, Cathal Marsh, Ross Molony and Garry Ringrose getting successful offloads away.
The main worry on an overcast day with a smattering of sunshine rugby was the pre-match disappearance of Jack Conan from the team-sheet. The number eight was replaced by Rhys Ruddock after ‘rolling his ankle’ in the warm-up and was next seen making his way along the touchline on a precautionary pair of crutches.
Leinster fell behind despite a big defensive effort on their own try-line when Sarel Pretorius managed to get the ball on the line in the 22nd minute after five phases of asking.
The positivity of the home side began to pay dividends with a break from Josh van der Flier stretching the Dragons defence. Once in behind, Noel Reid’s excellent long pass right punished the visitors by finding Nacewa storming for the corner.
Leinster’s deserved second breakthrough came thanks to Te’o's offload. The league convert let the ball go out the back of his hand and Reid beautifully stepped the defender. Nacewa collected the ball with plenty to do, but the chip in behind caused sufficient panic for the returning hero to pounce on the loose ball.
It took the home side some time to get humming after taking a 20 – 10 lead into the half-time break. The boot of McFadden, who kicked six from six, at least kept the scoreboard ticking. But when they got going again, Leinster were irresistible.
After Ringrose had the easy task of finishing off from Te’o's step and pass, Leinster had a whiff of the bonus point. And they went after it in the most ruthless fashion.
Immediately off the restart, they attacked on the left. Replacement Dan Leavy broke the line and, when tackled, he popped the ball up for Luke McGrath to keep the pace in the attack. Te’o's physicality and handling again proved crucial to denying the Dragons an opportunity to set in defence and the south stand was soon celebrating as out-half Marsh shrugged off a weak last-ditch tackle to crash over.
Marsh would also collect the man-of-the-match going after an assured display out of hand and, when required, with the boot to calmly manage his team through the game.
After suffering two defeats to the Dragons earlier this year, the class of Cullen’s Leinster was a welcome antidote to send the RDS faithful home happy.
Scorers
Leinster:
Try: I Nacewa (2), G Ringrose, C Marsh
Conversion: F McFadden (3), I Nacewa
Penalties: F McFadden (3)
Dragons:
Try: S Pretorius
Conversion: J Tovey
Penalties: J Tovey (2)
Leinster: Isa Nacewa (Capt), Fergus McFadden, Ben Te’o, Noel Reid, Garry Ringrose, Cathal Marsh, Isaac Boss: Michael Bent, Aaron Dundon, Marty Moore (HIA 23), Ross Molony, Mike McCarthy, Dominic Ryan, Josh van der Flier, Rhys Ruddock
Replacements: James Tracy (for Dundon ’60), Peter Dooley (for Bent ’51), Jamie Hagan (for Moore ’22), Tadhg Beirne (for McCarthy ’68), Dan Leavy (for Ryan ’62) , Luke McGrath (for Boss ’60), Ross Byrne (for Marsh ’76), Cian Kelleher (Reid ’68).
Dragons: Carl Meyer, Ashton Hewitt, Ross Wardle, Adam Warren, Tom Prydie, Jason Tovey, Sarel Pretorius; Boris Stankovich, Hugh Gustafson, Brok Harris, Nick Crosswell, Rynard Landman (Capt.) James Thomas, James Benjamin, Ed Jackson.
Replacements: Elliot Dee (for Gustafson’54), Phil Price (for Stankovich ’54), Shaun Knight (for Harris ’62), Matthew Screech (for Thomas ’40), Nic Cudd (Benjamin ’54) Luc Jones, Angus O’Brien (for Prydie ’48) Aled Brew (for Wardle ’40).
Referee: Ian Davies (WRU).
