Leinster march on to face old foes
LEINSTER weren’t at their very best but with Jamison Gibson-Park claiming a hat-trick this win sets up another mouthwatering tie with old foes La Rochelle who have beaten the Irish outfit in the last two Champions Cup finals.
Leicester might have been rank outsiders for this title but they started strongly and after intense pressure, Handre Pollard swerved onto a popped ball and held off two tacklers to score by the posts.
Leinster hit back quickly with a simple penalty from Ross Byrne and then the Leinster attack started to crank up ominously, a wondrous long pass from James Lowe bringing the energy and buzz. Moments later Big Joe McCarthy – allegedly enduring an end of season dip according to some critics – powered down the left flank before releasing Gibson-Park on the inside for a clinically taken try.
Freddie Steward, playing on the wing, gobbled up the first two high balls launched in his direction but he found a low skudder – in fact a miss kick from Hugo Keenan – much more difficult and made a poor effort to field a ball he should have left well alone. Leicester didn’t get the release of pressure they were looking for and suddenly they were defending again.
Moments later Leinster struck when Robbie Henshaw took the ball in about 40 yards out. Gibson-Park was there in a flash and exchanged passes with Dan Sheehan on the left wing to score another beauty.
Although Pollard
clawed a penalty back Gibson-Park completed his hat-trick in 17 minutes when Henshaw fed young Jamie Osborne – a major prospect – who fed the ever present scrum-half on the inside. The Kiwi still had a bit to do but the Tigers defence rather melted away.
It felt like Tigers needed to score next and they gave it a good rattle attacking thrillingly down the left although Ollie Hassell-Collins, closing in on the line with one man to beat, chipped ahead when it might have been easier to try and score or just take the hit and recycle possession. The pressure continued however although eventually McCarthy saved the situation with a timely turnover.
Tigers started strongly after the break and were attacking dangerously down the right when James Lowe stepped in with a deliberate knock down. Yellow card, no penalty try but Tigers kept attacking, went for touch and set up a lineout rumble from which James Cronin dobbed down. Suddenly it was game on again.
But not for long. Tigers were again attacking dangerously after a brilliant turnover from Hanro Liebenberg, but Dan Kelly threw an over optimistic pass wide to the left and Henshaw read the play perfectly to intercept and stroll in under the posts.
Leicester were still up for the fight and they attacked dangerously on the left through Pollard when Hassell-Collins, not enjoying his best game, butchered an obvious try scoring opportunity. You simply have to take your chances playing Leinster at the Aviva.
Tigers kept plugging away but Leinster put the game out of sight when two of their big men, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan, combined at pace for the latter to score. This time he made no mistake with the touchdown with Harry Byrne, who had replaced his brother, converting.
It was all done and dusted and the scoreline, to be honest, was a tad harsh but a late try from Charlie Claire, courtesy of a comically bodged lineout throw from Leinster, addressed that a little. It didn’t offer much consolation but considering the weakened pack they were forced to field, there was a certain amount of honour defeat.