Details

Date Time Competition Season
15 April 2022 5:30 pm European Champions Cup 2021/22

Match Report

Lowe superb as Leinster demolish Connacht

James Lowe scored four tries as Leinster scored eight tries in a 56-20 second leg win over Connacht in the Champions Cup.

Lowe was in superb form throughout the two legs, as he scored an impressive six tries as Leinster continued their dominance over Connacht. Leinster have won nine of their last 10 games against the Galway province, and this one was as one-sided as it got.

The hosts scored eight tries as Jameson Gibson-Park, Tadgh Furlong and two tries from Robbie Henshaw joined Lowe on the scoreboard to help Leinster ease to a comfortable 82-41 win on aggregate.

As for the visitors, they failed to build off an impressive display last Friday as they trailed 28-3 at the break. Things got worse after the break as Connacht lost Finlay Bealham to a head injury, and were forced to play a spell with just 13 players after Jack Aungier was sin binned for a shoulder charge.

Indiscipline haunted Connacht throughout the evening in Dublin as the visitors saw yellow twice on Good Friday. Whilst the infamous uncontested scrums law controversially returned to Aviva Stadium once again as Aungier’s yellow-card meant Connacht were forced to play with uncontested scrums for a brief spell, and amazingly Connacht only conceded once in that spell.

However, it didn’t start out that way for Connacht, as the visitors produced the perfect start. Jack Carty’s early penalty got the hosts on the board.

But that proved to be as good as it got as Gibson-Park raced away for Leinster’s first of the evening, before Henshaw brushed off a poor Bundee Aki tackle to score the second for Leo Cullen’s men.

It wasn’t long before Leinster picked up their third as Tadgh Furlong crashed over from a pick & go to make it 21-3 after 30 minutes. Things got worse for Connacht moments later as Bundee Aki was sin binned for a high tackle on Sexton, and the hosts made Connacht pay.

Lowe grabbed his first just before the break after an intricate bit of play between him and Sexton, while Henshaw quickly added his second moments after halftime to make it 35-3.

Connacht briefly threatened a fightback as Tiernan O’Halloran crashed over after a well-worked move down the left channel, but were soon down to 13 men after Jack Aungier was yellow carded for a high tackle on Josh Van Der Flier.

As a result of the yellow card and Finlay Bealham’s head injury, it saw a return of the controversial law that occured during Ireland’s test match against Italy weeks ago, and Connacht conceded their sixth not long after as Lowe grabbed his second of the day.

Despite facing imminent defeat, Andy Friend’s team showed an act of defiance as tries from Sammy Arnold and Abraham Papalii added some respectability to the scoreline.

However, the hosts had the last laugh as Lowe added a further two tries in the final ten minutes to put the nail in Connacht’s coffin.

Leinster

15Hugo Keenan Full-Back
14Jimmy O’Brien Winger
13Garry Ringrose 23 Centre
12Robbie Henshaw Centre 17', 41'
11James Lowe Winger 35', 54', 64', 79'
10Johnny Sexton 22 Fly-Half 11', 17', 28', 35', 41', 55'
9Jamison Gibson-Park 21 Scrum-Half 10'
1Andrew Porter 17 Prop
2Ronan Kelleher 16 Hooker
3Tadhg Furlong 18 Prop 27'
4Ross Molony Lock
5Josh Murphy 19 Lock
6Caelan Doris Flanker
7Josh Van Der Flier Flanker
8Jack Conan 20 No. 8
16Dan Sheehan 2 Hooker
17Ed Byrne 1 Prop
18Michael Alaalatoa 3 Prop
19Devin Toner 5 Lock
20Rhys Ruddock 8 Flanker
21Luke McGrath 9 Scrum-Half
22Ross Byrne 10 Fly-Half 66', 80'
23Ciaran Frawley 13 Fly-Half

Connacht

15Tiernan O’Halloran 23 Full-Back 45'
14John Porch Winger
13Tom Farrell 22 Centre
12Bundee Aki Centre 34'
11Mack Hansen Winger
10Jack Carty Fly-Half 70'
1'
9Caolin Blade Scrum-Half
1Matthew Burke 17 Prop
2Dave Heffernan 21 Hooker
3Finlay Bealham 18 Prop
4Gavin Thornbury 19 Lock
5Salesi Fifita Lock
6Cian Prendergast Flanker
7Conor Oliver Flanker
8Jarrad Butler No. 8
16Jonny Murphy Hooker
17Denis Buckley 1 Prop
18Jack Aungier 3 Prop 48'
19Oisin Dowling 4 Flanker
20Abraham Papali’i No. 8 69'
21Kieran Marmion 2 Scrum-Half
22Sam Arnold 13 Centre 61'
23Conor Fitzgerald 15 Fly-Half

Past Meetings

(Round of 16 - 1st Leg)
21 - 26
European Champions Cup
Dexcom Stadium

Connacht v Leinster

(Round 14)
8 - 45
United Rugby Championship
Dexcom Stadium

Connacht v Leinster

(Round 7)
47 - 19
United Rugby Championship
Royal Dublin Society

Leinster v Connacht

(Round 1)
12 - 17
Women's Senior Interprovincials
Dexcom Stadium

Connacht v Leinster

(Round 10)
24 - 35
PRO14
Royal Dublin Society

Leinster vs Connacht

Ground

Aviva Stadium
Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, Sandymount, Pembroke West ED, Dublin, County Dublin, Leinster, D04 CA43, Ireland