Leinster go top of the URC table
MATCH REPORT: James Lowe was back with a bang as his electric 56th-minute try lit up Leinster’s 29-7 United Rugby Championship win over the Ospreys at the RDS.
Having missed the Six Nations’ opening two rounds through injury, Lowe showed he is back to his sharpest during an impressive second-half cameo.
Fellow Ireland international Jordan Larmour and Cian Healy picked off tries either side of Morgan Morris’ sin-binning for infringing close to the Ospreys’ try-line.
Leinster struggled to build on their 15-0 interval lead in wet conditions until Lowe was unleashed down the left wing.
Ospreys captain Rhys Webb jinked through to make it 22-7, but Scott Penny claimed Leinster’s hard-earned bonus point with seven minutes remaining.
The result sends Leinster top of the URC ahead of Ulster’s trip to the Dragons on Sunday.
Martin Moloney’s incisive run infield helped to set up flyhalf Ross Byrne for an opening second-minute penalty.
Leinster stayed on the front foot, dominating territory, but Harri Deaves and the returning Bradley Davies led a robust Ospreys defence.
Midway through the first half, Larmour flew past Webb to ground the ball from a Byrne grubber kick.
The try’s creator missed the conversion before Luke McGrath had a score ruled out for a prior knock-on from Michael Ala’alatoa.
Tom Botha conceded a scrum penalty and further pressure on the Ospreys defence led to number eight Morris being binned in the 27th minute.
Prop Healy duly forced his way over from a couple of metres out, Byrne converting this time to make it 15-0.
The wet conditions increased the handling errors on the resumption, with the Ospreys pressing through Keiran Williams and the returning Dan Lydiate until a costly spill.
Quickly turning defence into attack, Byrne’s kick found Jimmy O’Brien and he fed Lowe just outside the hosts’ 22. The eager replacement broke into space, stepping around Luke Morgan with ease and cruising clear for seven points.
Webb replied for the Welsh region, displaying his own fancy footwork to get past McGrath and score. Gareth Anscombe’s conversion made it a 15-point game again.
However, Leinster dominated the remainder, the key moment coming when Penny drove low – with key support from Rhys Ruddock – to notch his 20th try in 34 appearances, which Byrne converted.
Player of the match
Webb led Ospreys well, his sharply-taken being their highlight in Dublin.
Leinster’s pack had some fine contributions, but the younger of the Byrne brothers, URC Player of the Match winner Harry, showed his skills in a notable move to inside centre. Together with his sibling, he knitted together some of the province’s best moves.
Play of the match
Lowe’s efforts to reclaim his Ireland starting jersey began with an outstanding try from his own half.
Ross Molony tidied up an Ospreys fumble, Ross Byrne kicked out to Jimmy O’Brien and he fed Lowe who broke downfield, outfoxed fellow winger Morgan with his dancing feet and burst clear to score wide on the left.
The scorers:
For Leinster:
Tries: Larmour, Healy, Lowe, Penny
Cons: Byrne 3
Pens: Byrne
For Ospreys:
Try: Webb
Con: Anscombe
Teams
Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Jamie Osborne, 12 Harry Byrne, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Luke McGrath (captain), 8 Max Deegan, 7 Scott Penny, 6 Martin Moloney, 5 Ryan Baird, 4 Ross Molony, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 James Tracy, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Seán Cronin, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Jack Dunne, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Nick McCarthy, 22 Rory O’Loughlin, 23 James Lowe.
Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Keelan Giles, 13 Michael Collins, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Rhys Webb (captain), 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Harri Deaves, 6 Ethan Roots, 5 Will Griffiths, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Rhodri Jones, 18 Rhys Henry, 19 Lloyd Ashley, 20 Dan Lydiate, 21 Reuben Morgan Williams, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Tiaan Thomas Wheeler.
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Dan Carson (Ireland)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
