Leinster puts down massive marker with RDS rout
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Leinster sent a strong message to the rest of Europe: ‘You want the title? Come and get it.’
The Irish province opened the defence of their title with an emphatic 52-3 rout of English Premiership side Wasps.
The eight-tries-to-none victory showed just how tough it will be to dethrone them.
New Zealand wing James Lowe and scrumhalf Luke McGrath grabbed two tries apiece as the Irish giants cruised to a bonus-point win – which could prove key in Pool One, which also includes fellow four-time champions Toulouse and Bath.
Leinster took just six minutes to grab the first try of this season’s competition.
Sean Cronin picked up and drove through three defenders, showing rare speed for a hooker as he claimed his 10th career try in the European Cup.
Skipper Johnny Sexton popped over the conversion for 7-0.
Wasps, the 2004 and 2007 champions, cut the deficit four minutes later when Leinster centre Robbie Henshaw was caught offside.
New Zealand flyhalf Lima Sopoaga made no mistake with the penalty.
Leinster continued to dominate possession but saw an impressive 20-phase move end when prop Cian Healy knocked on.
Lowe then had the RDS Stadium crowd on their feet on the half hour mark when the Kiwi flyer burst from inside his own half with a mazy run which left Wasps flat-footed.
However, his impressive burst came to nothing when Sexton was unable to hold on to a tight, close-up pass.
The champions got the reward they deserved on the stroke of half-time.
Sopoaga was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on and the Irish took advantage when Luke McGrath darted over from close range with Sexton again deadly accurate with the boot as Leinster went in at the interval with a 14-3 advantage.
Leinster extended their lead in the opening minute of the second half when Lowe was freed by a smart reverse pass from Henshaw and the 26-year-old wing drove through the heart of the Wasps defence with Sexton adding the extras again for 21-3.
Their fourth try – and a bonus point – arrived in the 52nd minute.
A smart offload by prop Tadhg Furlong set Lowe sprinting down the left wing and the New Zealander’s well-timed pass was eagerly gobbled up by McGrath who dived over for the score.
Sexton again was the picture of reliability with the conversion to stretch the lead to 28-3.
Lowe added his second try of the night – and his team’s fifth – with fellow wing Jordan Larmour crossing for his first ever try in the tournament.
Replacement Ross Byrne hit the extras but the pain for Wasps wasn’t over as Henshaw scored the seventh try for 47-3 with replacement forward Jack McGrath adding the eighth.
The scorers:
For Leinster:
Tries: Cronin, McGrath 2, Lowe 2, Larmour, Henshaw, McGrath
Cons: Sexton 5, Byrne
For Wasps:
Pen: Sopoaga
Yellow card: Lima Sopoaga (Wasps, 40 – cynical foul, slapping the ball down)
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Johnny Sexton (captain), 9 Luke McGrath, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Dan Leavy, 5 James Ryan, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Seán Cronin, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 James Tracy, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Andrew Porter, 19 Scott Fardy, 20 Seán O’Brien, 21 Nick McCarthy, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Joe Tomane.
Wasps: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Josh Bassett, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Michael Le Bourgeois, 11 Elliot Daly (captain), 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Joe Simpson, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Brad Shields, 5 James Gaskell, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Kieran Brookes, 2 Tommy Taylor, 1 Zurabi Zhvania.
Replacements: 16 Tom Cruse, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Kearnan Myall, 20 Ashley Johnson, 21 Craig Hampson, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Rob Miller.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Cyril Lafon (France), Stéphane Boyer (France)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (France
