Leinster despite a raft of changes, comfortably outclassed defending URC Champions, Cell C Sharks, as the table toppers reached the semi-final stages.

With the reigning URC Champions (and Bruce Springsteen!) in town, Leinster needed another high-level performance to advance. 

Yet, they started sluggishly, sliced open with ease by Sharks’ scrum half Gran Williams’ sniping dart through the hole, Dave Kearney was left for dust and despite Boela Chamberlain’s conversion missing, Sharks had silenced the (admittedly, not full) Aviva.

Caelan Doris rumbled over as an unstoppable force from a lineout after Kearney redeemed himself with his own arcing run up field to win the territory. Byrne added the extra two for 7-5 with winger Makazole Mapimpi yellow carded for an ill-judged, and failed, tackle on Doris.

Just after twenty minutes, tighthead Michael Milne bundled across the whitewash after Leinster had kept Sharks under the pump, Byrne’s touchline kick perfect to ensure the conversion.

Byrne continued his bright half by assisting the third home try, Jordan Larmour gobbling up the fly half’s incisive chip to the right flank.  Although both players have Hugo Keenan to thank, the Ireland international’s shimmying run creating the space.

Sharks piled forwards for the final ten minutes of the first half but a Chamberlain penalty that fell short was as close as they came, frustration the primary feeling for the men wearing white.

Milne wobbled a yellow card tightrope, warned three times at scrums. 

Leinster, as always though, overcame this potential hurdle and flankers combined down the left side, replacement Jack Conan freeing Max Deegan to canter into the corner, Byrne four from four with another excellent strike from the tee.

As both sides emptied their benches, one of the new arrivals, Liam Turner nearly had Leinster’s fifth try, chomping in from his wide berth but held up by bodies under the ball.

Joe McCarthy made his comeback from injury after ankle surgery in the final dozen minutes.

Williams, Sharks’ perkiest player throughout, set up what looked to be their second score when Rohan Janse van Rensberg dived over but like their early lead, it evaporated and ultimately boomeranged back at them with flanker James Venter yellow carded for a needless high tackle on Andrew Porter.

Jamison Gibson-Park made a more permanent scoring substitute appearance, he enjoyed the simple task of running in unopposed after Kearney’s crafty grubber kick exposed Sharks’ lesser man. 

Big brother of the Byrnes’, Ross, added the extras to leave a whopping margin of thirty points.  

Cian Healy, who came on at half time, limped off a minute from time but by then, it was mission accomplished for Leo Cullen’s men who will sit back and watch with interest to see who they will face next weekend, the winners of an enticing encounter as Glasgow host a resurgent Munster.

On this fiery form though, Leinster look a sure bet for a potential URC and HCC double.