LEINSTER ARE THROUGH to the Champions Cup semi-finals but for the second week running, Leo Cullen’s men made harder work of it than they should have.
Toulon’s 22-19 win in Glasgow earlier today meant Leinster knew they would have a home semi-final if they progressed against Sale, whereas a Warriors win would have set up a trip to Murrayfield.
Not that anyone was thinking that far ahead by the time half-time arrived. After a stodgy, error-ridden opening 40, Leinster led by five, Dan Sheehan’s converted try keeping the hosts ahead of a Sale side who responded with a George Ford penalty.
This game wouldn’t feel comfortable for Leinster until two quick-fire tries in the 53rd and 56th minutes from Ryan Baird and Reiko Ioane. Those scores moved Leinster into a 20-point lead and killed any lingering fears of an upset after another disjointed Leinster performance. However, the job was done, a poor start transformed into a powerful finish in front of a 18,839 supporters.
A Sale fan watches on during the match. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Indeed, the home side scored some lovely tries when they found some momentum and there were a handful of excellent individual performances, with Sheehan, Ryan Baird, Tommy O’Brien and Harry Byrne among the standouts.
The tireless Sheehan, captain in Caelan Doris’ absence, would see out the game in the back row, his late lung-busting run setting up Jamie Osborne for the last of Leinster’s six tries.
However much of the opening half was a brutal watch, not helped by the heavy downpour which welcomed kick-off after what had been a fine – albeit blustery – day in Dublin. With a wet ball Leinster’s handling was poor but they would expect their basics to be better given conditions improved early in the game.
Sale arrived as rank outsiders, missing both Curry brothers and their two first-choice hookers. The side ranked seventh in the PREM won’t be chasing silverware in the league so this was their shot to spark some life into their season.
Their mission was to limit Leinster, and sure enough, they managed to do just that. An early scrum win against 20-year-old Alex Usanov – starting just his second game for Leinster – was heartily celebrated. It wouldn’t be the first time Sale’s scrum would frustrate Leinster. Just minutes later Usanov was limping off, setting up Jerry Cahir – signed up from the AIL earlier this season – for a 76-minute shift at loosehead.
Sale Sharks' Ethan Caine. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
After a stop-start opening Leinster began to show signs of life, Tommy O’Brien kicking and chasing down the right, requiring fullback Joe Carpenter to race across and prevent a certain try.
Approaching the 10 minute mark Leinster opened the scoring, moving through the phases patiently after a lineout before Sheehan took his chance under the posts. Harry Byrne tapped over the extra two.
Yet the province couldn’t build on that momentum. Instead, Sale embarked on a long period of pressure which failed to trouble Leinster and ended with Hugo Keenan claiming a mark from a Ford bomb.
Advertisement
Moments of action were fleeting. Flanker Jacques Vermeulen claimed an overthrown lineout and kicked into the Leinster 22, where Keenan was on hand to put out the fire.
At the other end O’Brien kicked through and watched Jamie Osborne smoother Sale winger Tom O’Flaherty. Jack Conan turned the ball over, and with Leinster primed to attack Ryan Baird knocked-on under little pressure.
Sale's Joe Carpenter attempts to tackle Tommy O'Brien. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
They went again, Jamison Gibson-Park squeezing a kick down the left flank. Rieko Ioane, who had struggled with some early high balls, worked hard to claim the possession. Josh van der Flier stepped in at scrum-half, but his pass inside toward Joe McCarthy was poor, the Leinster lock knocking-on a ball that arrived at his shins. Van der Flier apologised as another promising move went to waste.
Over half an hour had passed before Sale put their first points on the board, Ford kicking a penalty after a harsh call against McCarthy.
Sale then lost Dan du Preez to a yellow card, the number eight getting his fingers to ball that prevented a Van der Flier line-break.
A man up, Leinster looked to make that advantage count but another clean lineout ended with the ball moving to a central position, where McCarthy knocked-on on the ground after contact.
A forgettable first-half ended with Ford attempting a drop-goal, his ambitious long-range effort sailing well wide of the target.
With his team just five points behind, the out-half would have been happy enough as he turned for the tunnel.
Leinster’s start to the second period must have dampened Sale spirits. Three minutes after the restart the hosts had their second try, Keenan finishing a fine move that saw quick hands from Byrne and Garry Ringrose, before Baird played a somewhat risky pass back inside to his fullback. Byrne couldn’t convert, but the passage of play also saw Sale lose loosehead Si McIntyre to a yellow card for a high shot on James Ryan.
Dan Sheehan during a scrum. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Leinster still looked shaky during the period with McIntyre in the bin – Sale turning the ball over after a huge counter-ruck over Byrne, but space on the left allowed Leinster to create an overlap, Conan delaying the final pass before Baird had the pace to get over the line. Byrne’s conversion from the touchline was superb, pushing Leinster to a 13-point advantage with 25 minutes to play.
Finally, Leinster were making the moments count. Byrne sent a high kick for Keenan to chase, and under pressure, the fullback did brilliantly to claim the ball. His teammates moved to action, Byrne offloading to Sheehan to serve it on a plate for Ioane. Byrne converted and just short of the hour, Leinster were 20 clear and the game was done.
Now the breaks were falling their way. Byrne chipped over the top and O’Brien chased. The winger had two Sale players competing with him but came away with Leinster’s fifth try.
The game was done, and as Leinster eased up Sale cut at the deficit, Alex Willis going over in the corner as the clock ticked into the final 10 minutes.
Leinster’s response was immediate, Byrne kicking an easy three in front of the posts after an O’Brien try was crossed off for a forward pass.
Osborne’s closing try was icing on the cake, served up by Sheehan’s solo break. Now Toulon stand between Leinster and another Champions Cup final.
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan (Ciaran Frawley, 70); Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose ( Robbie Henshaw, 59), Jamie Osborne, Rieko Ioane; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park (Luke McGrath, 64); Alex Usanov (Jerry Cahir, 3), Dan Sheehan (capt), Tadhg Furlong (Tom Clarkson, 54); Joe McCarthy (Max Deegan, 8-21 blood), James Ryan (Ronan Kelleher, 66); Ryan Baird (Max Deegan, 60), Josh van der Flier (Scott Penny, 49), Jack Conan.
SALE: Joe Carpenter (Alex Wills, HT); Tom Roebuck, Rob du Preez (Marius Louw, 59), Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, Tom O’Flaherty; George Ford, Gus Warr (Dom Hanson, 68); Si McIntyre (Ralph McEachran, 65), Ethan Caine (Alfie Longstaff, 65), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (James Harper, 65); Ernst van Rhyn (capt) (Reuben Logan 70), Ben Bamber (Jos Gilmore 70); Jacques Vermeulen, Sam Dugdale, Dan du Preez.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
53 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Second-half surge sees Leinster eventually shake off Sale
Leinster 43
Sale Sharks 13
LEINSTER ARE THROUGH to the Champions Cup semi-finals but for the second week running, Leo Cullen’s men made harder work of it than they should have.
Toulon’s 22-19 win in Glasgow earlier today meant Leinster knew they would have a home semi-final if they progressed against Sale, whereas a Warriors win would have set up a trip to Murrayfield.
Not that anyone was thinking that far ahead by the time half-time arrived. After a stodgy, error-ridden opening 40, Leinster led by five, Dan Sheehan’s converted try keeping the hosts ahead of a Sale side who responded with a George Ford penalty.
This game wouldn’t feel comfortable for Leinster until two quick-fire tries in the 53rd and 56th minutes from Ryan Baird and Reiko Ioane. Those scores moved Leinster into a 20-point lead and killed any lingering fears of an upset after another disjointed Leinster performance. However, the job was done, a poor start transformed into a powerful finish in front of a 18,839 supporters.
Indeed, the home side scored some lovely tries when they found some momentum and there were a handful of excellent individual performances, with Sheehan, Ryan Baird, Tommy O’Brien and Harry Byrne among the standouts.
The tireless Sheehan, captain in Caelan Doris’ absence, would see out the game in the back row, his late lung-busting run setting up Jamie Osborne for the last of Leinster’s six tries.
However much of the opening half was a brutal watch, not helped by the heavy downpour which welcomed kick-off after what had been a fine – albeit blustery – day in Dublin. With a wet ball Leinster’s handling was poor but they would expect their basics to be better given conditions improved early in the game.
Sale arrived as rank outsiders, missing both Curry brothers and their two first-choice hookers. The side ranked seventh in the PREM won’t be chasing silverware in the league so this was their shot to spark some life into their season.
Their mission was to limit Leinster, and sure enough, they managed to do just that. An early scrum win against 20-year-old Alex Usanov – starting just his second game for Leinster – was heartily celebrated. It wouldn’t be the first time Sale’s scrum would frustrate Leinster. Just minutes later Usanov was limping off, setting up Jerry Cahir – signed up from the AIL earlier this season – for a 76-minute shift at loosehead.
After a stop-start opening Leinster began to show signs of life, Tommy O’Brien kicking and chasing down the right, requiring fullback Joe Carpenter to race across and prevent a certain try.
Approaching the 10 minute mark Leinster opened the scoring, moving through the phases patiently after a lineout before Sheehan took his chance under the posts. Harry Byrne tapped over the extra two.
Yet the province couldn’t build on that momentum. Instead, Sale embarked on a long period of pressure which failed to trouble Leinster and ended with Hugo Keenan claiming a mark from a Ford bomb.
Moments of action were fleeting. Flanker Jacques Vermeulen claimed an overthrown lineout and kicked into the Leinster 22, where Keenan was on hand to put out the fire.
At the other end O’Brien kicked through and watched Jamie Osborne smoother Sale winger Tom O’Flaherty. Jack Conan turned the ball over, and with Leinster primed to attack Ryan Baird knocked-on under little pressure.
They went again, Jamison Gibson-Park squeezing a kick down the left flank. Rieko Ioane, who had struggled with some early high balls, worked hard to claim the possession. Josh van der Flier stepped in at scrum-half, but his pass inside toward Joe McCarthy was poor, the Leinster lock knocking-on a ball that arrived at his shins. Van der Flier apologised as another promising move went to waste.
Over half an hour had passed before Sale put their first points on the board, Ford kicking a penalty after a harsh call against McCarthy.
Sale then lost Dan du Preez to a yellow card, the number eight getting his fingers to ball that prevented a Van der Flier line-break.
A man up, Leinster looked to make that advantage count but another clean lineout ended with the ball moving to a central position, where McCarthy knocked-on on the ground after contact.
A forgettable first-half ended with Ford attempting a drop-goal, his ambitious long-range effort sailing well wide of the target.
With his team just five points behind, the out-half would have been happy enough as he turned for the tunnel.
Leinster’s start to the second period must have dampened Sale spirits. Three minutes after the restart the hosts had their second try, Keenan finishing a fine move that saw quick hands from Byrne and Garry Ringrose, before Baird played a somewhat risky pass back inside to his fullback. Byrne couldn’t convert, but the passage of play also saw Sale lose loosehead Si McIntyre to a yellow card for a high shot on James Ryan.
Leinster still looked shaky during the period with McIntyre in the bin – Sale turning the ball over after a huge counter-ruck over Byrne, but space on the left allowed Leinster to create an overlap, Conan delaying the final pass before Baird had the pace to get over the line. Byrne’s conversion from the touchline was superb, pushing Leinster to a 13-point advantage with 25 minutes to play.
Finally, Leinster were making the moments count. Byrne sent a high kick for Keenan to chase, and under pressure, the fullback did brilliantly to claim the ball. His teammates moved to action, Byrne offloading to Sheehan to serve it on a plate for Ioane. Byrne converted and just short of the hour, Leinster were 20 clear and the game was done.
Now the breaks were falling their way. Byrne chipped over the top and O’Brien chased. The winger had two Sale players competing with him but came away with Leinster’s fifth try.
The game was done, and as Leinster eased up Sale cut at the deficit, Alex Willis going over in the corner as the clock ticked into the final 10 minutes.
Leinster’s response was immediate, Byrne kicking an easy three in front of the posts after an O’Brien try was crossed off for a forward pass.
Osborne’s closing try was icing on the cake, served up by Sheehan’s solo break. Now Toulon stand between Leinster and another Champions Cup final.
Leinster scorers:
Tries – Sheehan, Keenan, Baird, Ioane, O’Brien, Osborne.
Penalty – Byrne [1/1]
Conversions – Byrne [5/6]
Sale scorers:
Try – Willis
Penalties – Ford [2/2]
Conversion –
Drop goal – Ford [0/1]
LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan (Ciaran Frawley, 70); Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose ( Robbie Henshaw, 59), Jamie Osborne, Rieko Ioane; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park (Luke McGrath, 64); Alex Usanov (Jerry Cahir, 3), Dan Sheehan (capt), Tadhg Furlong (Tom Clarkson, 54); Joe McCarthy (Max Deegan, 8-21 blood), James Ryan (Ronan Kelleher, 66); Ryan Baird (Max Deegan, 60), Josh van der Flier (Scott Penny, 49), Jack Conan.
SALE: Joe Carpenter (Alex Wills, HT); Tom Roebuck, Rob du Preez (Marius Louw, 59), Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, Tom O’Flaherty; George Ford, Gus Warr (Dom Hanson, 68); Si McIntyre (Ralph McEachran, 65), Ethan Caine (Alfie Longstaff, 65), Asher Opoku-Fordjour (James Harper, 65); Ernst van Rhyn (capt) (Reuben Logan 70), Ben Bamber (Jos Gilmore 70); Jacques Vermeulen, Sam Dugdale, Dan du Preez.
Yellow cards: Du Preez 36, McIntyre 44
Referee: Pierre Brousset (FFR)
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Champions Cup Job Done Leinster Rugby Sale Sharks