Details

Date Time Competition Season
16 October 2021 5:15 pm United Rugby Championship 2021/22

Match Report

Leinster steamroll Scarlets

Leinster started slowly against the Scarlets but finished with seven tries to keep the pressure on Ulster at the top of the United Rugby Championship table at the RDS Arena this evening.

Scarlets started brightly when their fly half Sam Costelow punished a Leinster foul to open the scoring with a penalty on the first attack just two minutes into the game.

Returning Lion, Johnny Sexton levelled matters from a penalty five minutes later when Scarlets full back Ioan Nicholas was penalised for not releasing in the tackle under pressure from the Leinster defensive line.

The Welsh side, who came into the encounter carrying a major underdog tag, looked like they hadn't read the script in the early exchanges and drew first blood when a combination of Nicholas and Johnny McNicholl found an bit of space on the Leinster wing and McNicholl powered home into the corner for the first try of the game.

Costelow was unable to add the extra two points as he pulled his conversion attempt well wide of the near post from his kicking position just along the sideline.

The score seemed to wake up the favourites as they grew into the encounter and their physical advantage started to bear fruit on the field and on the scoreboard.

A well worked lineout routine saw Ronan Kelleher benefit from the pack shove and he touched down for a try which Sexton was unable to convert.

Just before the half hour mark Leinster were ahead with Andrew Porter finding a gap with a pick and go just shy of the Red's line to increase the lead as Sexton added the extras.

Leinster passed the kick at the posts just before half time and Jamison Gibson Park nearly squeezed over in the corner but the referee awarded a penalty try to Leinster to put them fourteen points ahead at the break.

The home side opened the second half as they finished the first when a burst from hooker Ronan Kelleher broke through the Scarlets line and he fed Caolan Doris for the flanker to cross for his first try of the season.

Interestingly enough, centre Ciaran Frawley stepped up to add the conversion despite Johnny Sexton still being on the field.

Both placekickers would leave the action shortly afterwards. Frawley due to the HIA after a clash of heads with Gareth Davies after a collision while Sexton's day was completed as he was withdrawn for Ross Byrne for the last half hour of the encounter.

Scarlets showed that they had a little bit of bite with an excellently worked break which ended with Tomas Lezana touching down for substitute out half Dan Jones to convert to give the Scarlets some hope.

Frawley returned to the field after the concussion protocol was followed and his first interaction was to carry the PRO14 champions to the Welsh side's try line, eventually the experienced Cian Healy found a gap and secured his first five pointer of the season.

Ross Byrne added the conversion which effectively ended the game as a contest with almost twenty minutes left on the clock.

Scarlets try scorer Johnny McNicholl found himself in the sin bin late on and Leinster sub Dan Sheehan took advantage competing for a cross field kick he rose highest and added the final and seventh try of the game with Ross Byrne adding the conversion for a winning scoreline of 50-15.

Leinster

1Andrew Porter 17 Prop 28'
2Ronan Kelleher Hooker 23'
3Tadhg Furlong 18 Prop
4Ross Molony Lock
5James Ryan Lock
6Caelan Doris Flanker 46'
7Josh Van Der Flier Flanker
8Jack Conan No. 8
9Jamison Gibson-Park 21 Scrum-Half
10Johnny Sexton 22 Fly-Half 29'
7'
11James Lowe Winger
12Ciaran Frawley 23 Fly-Half 47'
13Garry Ringrose Centre
14Jordan Larmour Winger
15Hugo Keenan Full-Back
16Dan Sheehan Hooker 69', 76'
17Cian Healy 1 Prop 61'
18Michael Alaalatoa 3 Prop
19Ryan Baird Lock
20Rhys Ruddock Flanker
21Luke McGrath 9 Scrum-Half
22Ross Byrne 10 Fly-Half 62', 70', 77'
23Jimmy O’Brien Centre
23Tommy O’Brien 12 Centre

Scarlets

1Wyn Jones Prop
2Ken Owens Hooker
3Willgriff John Prop
4Sam Lousi Lock
5Lloyd Ashley Lock
6Aaron Shingler Flanker
7Tomas Lezana Flanker 49'
8Blade Thomson Flanker
9Gareth Davies 21 Scrum-Half
10Sam Costelow Fly-Half 2'
11Ryan Conbeer Winger
12Johnny Williams Centre
13Jonathan Davies Centre
14Johnny McNicholl Full-Back 18'
68'
15Ioan Nicholas Full-Back
16Ryan Elias Forward
17Rob Evans Prop
18Samson Lee Prop
19Morgan Jones Lock
20Shaun Evans
21Kieran Hardy 9 Back
22Dan Jones Fly-Half 50'
23Tom Rogers Full-Back

Past Meetings

(Round 8)
25 - 52
PRO14
Parc y Scarlets

Scarlets v Leinster

Ground

Royal Dublin Society
Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 W9H6, Ireland

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