Seven-try blitz for URC leaders Leinster
MATCH REPORT: United Rugby Championship leaders Leinster begin 2023 with a comprehensive seven-try 41-12 victory over Irish rivals Connacht in front of a sold out crowd.
Liam Turner, Brian Deeny and Jordan Larmour scored first-half tries as Leinster led 19-12 at the break, while David Hawkshaw and Tom Farrell hit back for Connacht.
Leinster, unbeaten in their 10 URC matches, got the New Year off to the perfect start when Turner raced on captain Johnny Sexton’s pass to score his first try in blue in the second minute.
Jordan Larmour was the star man overall, running in two tries and fizzing with creative brilliance all evening. The one downside was the head injury to Jonathan Sexton after a collision with Jarryd Butler.
Tries from David Hawkshaw and Tom Farrell had Connacht just 19-12 behind at half-time, with Liam Turner, Brian Deeny and Jordan Larmour crossing for Leinster.
Larmour, Rob Russell, Ryan Baird and Josh van der Flier made it a seven-try victory for Leo Cullen’s men.
On the half-hour mark, a sidestepping Larmour linked with Jimmy O’Brien, whose kick-through evaded the unfortunate Carty, and Larmour gleefully followed up for a Leinster seven-pointer.
Nonetheless, Connacht coped well while down to 14 men, Caolin Blade igniting their attack again and Jarrad Butler thwarting a Leinster maul.
In Sexton’s absence, Leinster finished with a flourish, Cormac Foley and Ngatai providing the assists for Russell and Baird to go over respectively, before Van der Flier showed his pace to make the left corner after Larmour was again involved in the build-up.
The scorers
For Connacht
Tries: Hawkshaw, T Farrell
Cons: Carty
For Leinster
Tries: Turner, Deeny, Larmour (2), Russel, Baird, van der Flier
Cons: Sexton (2), Byrne
Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Liam Turner, 12 Charlie Ngatai, 11 Rob Russell, 10 Johnny Sexton (captain), 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan, 4 Brian Deeny, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 Rónan Kelleher, 1 Michael Milne.
Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Marcus Hanan, 18 Vakhtang Abdaladze, 19 Alex Soroka, 20 Scott Penny, 21 Cormac Foley, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Jamie Osborne.
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 Diarmuid Kilgallen, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 David Hawkshaw, 11 John Porch, 10 Jack Carty (captain), 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Jarrad Butler, 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Niall Murray, 4 Darragh Murray, 3 Dominic Robertson-McCoy, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Peter Dooley.
Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Sam Illo, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Conor Oliver, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Tom Daly, 23 Byron Ralston.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Chris Busby (Ireland), Peter Martin (Ireland)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
