Leinster cements top spot with hard-earned win
URC MATCH REPORT: Leinster cemented their place at the top of the standings with a hard-earned 21-13 win over a willing Lions team in Dublin on Friday.
Despite threatening to run riot at times, the Lions hung in desperately and finished the better of the two teams – scoring a late try.
In the end, the result was never in doubt, but the three-tries-to-one margin was a lot closer than what the home side would have hoped for.
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Dave Kearney, Michael Ala’alatoa and Scott Penny scored for Leinster, with Ross Byrne adding six points off the kicking tee with conversions.
Jaco Kriel broke through for a late try for the visitors, with flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse slotting two first-half penalties and a late conversion.
On his return from injury, flyhalf Hendrikse was off target with two early penalty attempts, as the Lions left points behind them.
Leinster punished them with a free-flowing try, Tommy O’Brien popping up in midfield for a key pass out of a tackle before Jamie Osborne and Max O’Reilly sent Kearney over in the left corner.
Reliable number 10 Ross Byrne floated over the difficult conversion but the Lions proved tough to break down.
Ruben Schoeman forced a turnover penalty, which Hendrikse sent through the uprights in the 12th minute.
Kearney was stopped a few metres out after combining again with O’Reilly and then a promising lineout opportunity for the visitors was bundled into touch.
Lions scrum-half Morne van den Berg then threatened on a brilliant side-stepping run before Dan Leavy came to Leinster’s rescue.
Quan Horn pinched a pass as the home side looked destined for a try and Hendrikse’s 36th-minute penalty punished Devin Toner for not rolling away.
Kriel did very well to deny Leavy a try just before the break but Leinster resumed in the ascendancy.
Prop Ala’alatoa drove over in the 47th minute after Leinster had played with successive penalty advantages and Byrne’s conversion made it 14-6.
Kearney and O’Brien carved through on counter-attacking runs, the home pack using the resulting lineout to send flanker Penny over.
Byrne’s boot pushed the margin out to 15 points but Leinster were forced back on the defensive and Stean Pienaar’s breakaway effort was foiled by a terrific O’Brien tackle.
The Lions got their reward in the 78th minute, van den Berg reacting quickest after the ball had squirted out of a Leinster scrum.
Kriel was fed for the score which replacement Tiaan Swanepoel converted.
Player of the match
O’Brien was a real ball of energy, his URC player of the match medal just reward for his involvement in Leinster’s opening try and his try-saving tackle in the second half.
Scrum-half van den Berg and skipper Kriel impressed for the valiant Lions.
Play of the match
Leinster’s attack had its best moment early on, using quick ball from a lineout to devastating effect.
The Byrne brothers, Harry and Ross, distributed well, O’Brien added zip to the move and the Lions were unable to deny a strong-finishing Kearney out wide.
The scorers
For Leinster
Tries: Kearney, Ala’alatoa, Penny
Cons: R Byrne 3
For the Lions
Try: Kriel
Con: Swanepoel
Pens: Hendrikse 2
Teams
Leinster: 15 Max O’Reilly, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Jamie Osborne, 12 Harry Byrne, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Nick McCarthy, 8 Rhys Ruddock (captain), 7 Dan Leavy, 6 Josh Murphy, 5 Joe McCarthy, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 James Tracy, 1 Ed Byrne.
Replacements: 16 Seán Cronin, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Jack Dunne, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Adam Byrne, 23 Scott Penny.
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jaco Kriel (captain), 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Peter-John Steenkamp, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sithembiso Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Botha, 17 Morgan Naude, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Lunga Ncube, 20 Sibusiso Sangweni, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Manuel Rass, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel.
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant referees: Peter Martin (Ireland), Stuart Gaffikin (Ireland)
TMO: Colin Stanley (Ireland)
