Leinster sting Wasps for home quarter-final
CHAMPIONS CUP REPORT: Defending champions Leinster Rugby will have a home Champions Cup quarter-final after defeating Wasps 37-19 at the Ricoh Arena on Sunday.
Ross Byrne opened the scoring for the visitors as he slotted over a penalty kick after advantage was being played when Leinster were progressing towards the try line.
The defending champions then grabbed a first try of the afternoon when Dave Kearney went close, before Garry Ringrose found a gap in the Wasps line and dived over the try line.
After another penalty kick was made by Byrne, he then slotted a conversion when Leinster scored a second try.
It was a powerful driving maul from an attacking line-out and Sean Cronin – who is the leading try-scorer in the competition – was the man awarded the try under a pile of Leinster players.
After the interval, Wasps started well and when Michele Campagnaro went close after a couple of nice steps inside, Nathan Hughes took advantage of the stretched Leinster line by diving over at the posts.
Sean Cronin and Dan Robson then exchanged converted tries as the sides approached the last 10 minutes with Leinster still 13 points ahead.
Noel Reid then sealed the deal for Leinster as he rounded off a delightful move, securing the bonus point and No.3 seeding, as well as a home quarter-final. Marcus Watson would score a late consolation try for the home side with two minutes to play.
The scorers:
For Wasps:
Tries: Hughes, Robson, Watson
Cons: Sopoaga 2
For Leinster:
Tries: Ringrose, Cronin 2, Reid
Cons: Byrne 3, Reid
Pens: Byrne 2, Reid
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Teams
Wasps: 15 Rob Miller, 14 Josh Bassett, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Gaby Lovobalavu, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Nizaam Carr, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Will Rowlands, 4 Joe Launchbury (captain), 3 Jake Cooper-Woolley, 2 Tom Cruse, 1 Zurabi Zhvania.
Replacements: 16 Ashley Johnson, 17 Ben Harris, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Charlie Matthews, 20 Ben Morris, 21 Craig Hampson, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Marcus Watson.
Leinster: 15 Jordan Larmour, 14 Adam Byrne, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Rhys Ruddock (captain), 5 James Ryan, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Seán Cronin, 1 Jack McGrath.
Replacements: 16 James Tracy, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Andrew Porter, 19 Scott Fardy, 20 Seán O’Brien, 21 Hugh O’Sullvan, 22 Noel Reid, 23 Rory O’Loughlin.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Lloyd Linton (Scotland), Keith Allen (Scotland)
TMO: Neil Paterson (Scotland)
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