SCARLETS 5
LEINSTER 35
AS HARD AS they tired to summon up inspiration from their glorious past, the Scarlets couldn’t find a way to stop Leinster marching to a magnificent seventh win in a row in the URC to keep a stranglehold on top spot.
Celebrating their 150th season, and just two days short of the 50th anniversary of their epic 9-3 win over the All Blacks, the home side paraded four of the heroes from that never to be forgotten day in 1972 before kick-off. How the fans must have wished they could have had a Delme Thomas, Roy Bergiers and Gareth Jenkins in their prime playing against Leinster.
After all the pre-match celebrations and niceities it was back down to earth with a bang for the home side. They dropped the kick-off, conceded a line-out and then coughed up the first try of the night within 45 seconds.
The ball came off the top, there was a pass behind a centre in midfield and full back Chris Cosgrave, making only his second senior appearance and his first of the season, found himself running free in a corridor in the home 22 than took him to the line for a try that Ross Byrne improved from wide out.
What a start!
After the rapier came the bludgeon as the Leinster defence knocked Sioine Kalamafoni back 10 metres in a combined tackle and then kept the home raiders at bay in their own 22 from back-to-back raids.
Scarlets, languishing one off the bottom of the table and beaten heavily in Connacht last weekend, weren’t at the races early doors as they found the Leinster physicality difficult to handle. When they got to the pace of the game they attempted to find space on the edges and that tactic eventually paid dividends.
Ryan Conbeer made ground into the 22 wide left and then a long pass by skipper Jonathan Davies enabled Steff Evans to cross in the opposite corner after Scarlets best round of passing on an otherwise miserable night of handling.
Leinster conjured up a second after 25 minutes when right wing Rob Russell caused panic in the home defence with a grub kick towards the line. Hooker John McKee raced with Conbeer up to the line, but it was Russell who had the last laugh as it bounced off the two of them, over the lie and allowed him to score.
Byrne’s conversion made it 14-5 at the break before Tom Clarkson barged over from short range in the 47th minute. Leinster smelt blood and when Dan Jones was sent to the sin-bin for persistent offside they picked up their bonus-point try in the next move.
It came via a penalty try as they tried to spread the ball to Dave Kearney. Johnny McNicholl jumped in to knock the ball away and off he went to the bin as well. A second penalty try came from a 73rd minute line-out, quicky followed by a third yellow for Gareth Davies.
Scorers: Scarlets: Try: S Evans. Leinster: Tries: Pen Tries 2, C Cosgrave, R Russell, T Clarkson; Cons: R Blake 3
Scarlets: J McNicholl; T Rogers (A Hughes 75), S Evans, J Davies (captain), R Conbeer; D Jones (R Patchell 70), G Davies; S Thomas (K Mathias 57), D Hughes (S Evans 57), H O’Connor (WG John 57), J Price, T Price (M Jones 64), A Shingler I Shenton 60), D Thomas, S Kalamafoni
Rep Unused: C Baldwin
YC: D Jones 59; J McNicholl 59; G Davies 73
Leinster: C Cosgrave; R Russell, L Turner, C Ngatai (B Brownlee 62), D Kearney (E Byrne 70-76; R Byrne (C Tector 71), L McGrath (N McCarthy 54); E Byrne (M Milne 57), J McKee (T McElroy 57), T Clarkson (V Abdaladzhe 57), R Molony, J Jenkins (B Deeny 57), R Ruddock