Leinster demonstrated the depth of their squad as a brace from Luke McGrath helped them on their way to a convincing, BP, 38-14 win over Cardiff.

Despite a raft of changes, it was a fairly dominant performance for all eighty minutes from the league leaders as Blues caused their own problems throughout.

Cardiff’s self-inflicted pain was first punished when Max Deegan bustled over the line after the Welsh province botched a defensive lineout, Harry Byrne’s conversion drifting wide.

The hosts were controlling the game in a one-sided first half and scrum half, Luke McGrath, rewarded their dominance with a sniping score, converted by Byrne.

Ten minutes later, on the half hour, he had himself a brace, the number 9 spotting a gap and breezing in unopposed.  Byrne’s second successful kick made it 19-0 at half time.

Just when it looked like it couldn’t get any worse for Cardiff, they were reduced to fourteen when winger Jason Harries saw yellow for a deliberate knock on eight minutes into the second period.  

From a thunderous pick and go, lock, Ben Deeny exploited the man advantage to earn Leinster the bonus point try.

Winger Max O’Reilly got in on the scoring spree shortly after, dotting down neatly in the corner after Chris Cosgrave unselfishly played him in.  Byrne converting brilliantly for a 31-0 Leinster lead.

The visitors threw caution to the wind then and Rory Thornton made an instant impact as a substitute, the flanker finishing off a maul with gusto and Jarrod Evans converting for a seven pointer.

As the RDS began to trickle towards full time, a quick thinking tap from replacement scrum half, Ellis Bevan, mirroring McGrath’s earlier, set up space for fellow substitute, hooker, Kristian Dacey to power over under the posts leaving it 31-14.

That looked like the last act however with the clock in red, Cardiff were left red-faced after choosing to try and play out.  An errant pass seized upon with glee by centre Liam Turner, who galloped over the whitewash for Leinster’s sixth try, finishing with a (gift-wrapped) flourish.

Charlie Tector’s conversion was good and the remaining RDS fans could bask in another accomplished showing from their league leading, unbeaten, Leinster side.