Details
Date | Time | Competition | Season |
---|---|---|---|
18 February 2023 | 7:35 pm | United Rugby Championship | 2022/23 |
Match Report
Leinster keep marching on in URC
Sixteen points from Harry Byrne steered Leinster to a clinical, 43-14 BP, win over Dragons as they extended their league atop of the URC standings.
With fourteen places separating the sides, Dragons always had it all to do to take any points home.
They made life harder for themselves, pushed back from kick-off and conceding a seven-pointer as Byrne wormed through weak tackles and converted his own try for 7-0, just five minutes in.
To their credit however, Dragons replied by dominating possession but were wasteful in the final third, fly half Will Reed having a few minutes to forget.
First, he shanked a penalty wide before in the twenty-sixth minute, he made a much costlier error with his pass read, pounced upon and intercepted by the wily Luke McGrath who sprinted home with ease, his third try in two games. Byrne converting to give the score a very unfair reflection of play.
Again though, the Welsh province roared back and after jack Dixon rescued the dying embers of another botched attacking lineout, scrum-half Rhodri Williams sniped over from close range, Reed halving the deficit.
Leinster, as they often do, took a concession hard and Captain Rhys Ruddock restored their two-score lead. The flanker unstoppable after following up Scott Penny’s drive for 19-7.
With the clock in red, Byrne bagged the bonus point, showing composure to muscle in and convert for a disheartening, for Dragons, 26-7 gap at the break.
An innovative tightrope sprint on the touchline from the unobstructed Jordan Larmour extended the advantage before Dragons, mirroring the first half, penned their hosts in but to no reward.
Ironically, the score they merited was fluky with former Munster man JJ Hanrahan, off the bench, taking Steffan Hughes’ pass to his face and collecting the bouncing ball to score under the sticks, an easy two points added by Reed.
With the clock ticking, Leinster flexed their squad depth as Jimmy O’Brien’s lung-busting break from full back, slick interplay with replacement hooker Lee Barron and great line running from Robbie Russell saw Leinster’s sixth score register.
Charlie Tector converted that and then, fittingly given Byrne’s performance, the fly half, touched down Dave Kearney’s chip ahead to mark a memorable moment, his first senior Leinster try.
Despite missing the kick, seven more points to his career tally and a result for the RDS to be reassured of the upcoming bright future of Leinster rugby.
Timeline
Harry Byrne | 4' | |
Harry Byrne | 5' | |
Luke McGrath | 26' | |
Harry Byrne | 27' | |
33' | Rhodri Williams | |
34' | Will Reed | |
Rhys Ruddock | 36' | |
Harry Byrne | 40+1' | |
Harry Byrne | 40+2' | |
40' | Jack Dixon Jordan Williams |
|
Jordan Larmour | 46' | |
46' | Sio Tomkinson JJ Hanrahan |
|
54' | Rhodri Jones Aki Seiuli |
|
John McKee Lee Barron |
55' | |
Michael Milne Jack Boyle |
55' | |
Michael Alaalatoa Tom Clarkson |
55' | |
Ross Molony Jason Jenkins |
55' | |
Luke McGrath Nick McCarthy |
55' | |
Jordan Larmour Robbie Russell |
55' | |
55' | Ben Fry Sean Lonsdale |
|
59' | Lloyd Fairbrother Chris Coleman |
|
Scott Penny Will Connors |
62' | |
63' | JJ Hanrahan | |
64' | Will Reed | |
65' | Brodie Coghlan James Benjamin |
|
65' | Rhodri Williams Lewis Jones |
|
Harry Byrne Charlie Tector |
70' | |
70' | Ben Carter Ryan Woodman |
|
Robbie Russell | 72' | |
Charlie Tector | 73' | |
Charlie Tector | 80' |
Past Meetings
(Round 2)
6 - 7United Rugby Championship
Rodney Parade Dragons v Leinster |
(Round 12)
29 - 35PRO14
Rodney Parade Dragons v Leinster |
(Round 1)
35 - 5PRO14
Royal Dublin Society Leinster v Dragons |
Ground
Royal Dublin Society |
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Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 W9H6, Ireland |