Leinster 13-5 Glasgow Warriors

A Glasgow Warriors performance full of heart and spirit ultimately proved in vain in Dublin this evening, as Leinster claimed a 13-5 win in the final match of the BKT United Rugby Championship regular season.

There could be no faulting the effort of Franco Smith’s squad in defeat, however, fronting up to their hosts in both attack and defence over the course of a full-blooded 80 minutes.

With the Aviva Stadium bathed in the early evening sunshine, it was the Warriors who made the brighter start. Superb interplay from Kyles Rowe and Steyn almost sent the latter over for the score, whilst only a scrambling Leinster defence would deny Seb Stephen an early try on his professional debut.

It was Franco Smith’s outfit who had the first chance for points, for good measure, after Leinster were penalised for going off their feet at the breakdown with nine minutes played. Adam Hastings’s penalty attempt from 30 metres out ricocheted out of play off the upright, however, and the game remained scoreless.

A physical opening quarter saw neither side give an inch in defence, with try-scoring opportunities rare in front of the 17,500-strong crowd. The hosts were next to come close, Fintan Gunne unable to reel in Robbie Henshaw’s offload after a fortuitous bounce in Glasgow territory.

The home side thought they had the first strike as the clock ticked past the 20-minute mark, though, as Jimmy O’Brien collected Sam Prendergast’s cross-field kick from a quickly-tapped penalty to touch down. The officials, however, ruled Prendergast had taken the penalty from an incorrect mark, chalking off the score.

O’Brien wasn’t to be denied for long, however, touching down with 26 minutes on the clock for the game’s opening try after Prendergast picked out his winger with the miss-pass. Prendergast converted, and Leinster had a 7-0 lead.

Undeterred, Glasgow continued to press for an opening, with Ben Afshar and Hastings turning the Leinster defence with an astute kicking game. Sione Tuipulotu and Huw Jones showcased their partnership with some subtle handing in midfield, whilst Macenzzie Duncan took a more direct approach with ball in hand on his first start in Glasgow colours.

It was Duncan who provided the catalyst for Glasgow’s next opportunity, a big hit on Scott Penny in midfield dislodging the ball and forcing a turnover from which Tuipulotu sparked a moment of magic, collecting his own chip ahead before chipping into space once more. The centre was only denied by the scrambling Leinster defence, which was pressed into service just moments later to deny Euan Ferrie as the half-time whistle approached.

The second half began in similar fashion to the first, a thundering hit from Tom Jordan – on as a half-time replacement for Tuipulotu – on O’Brien setting the tone for the Warriors to follow. Ferrie continued to lead the charge amongst the pack, charging down Prendergast on halfway to a roar of approval from the travelling Warrior Nation.

Glasgow’s defensive resolve continued to impress; Steyn recovered superbly to chase down Hugo Keenan with a covering tackle, whilst Jare Oguntibeju’s effort on his own goal-line prevented the men in blue from adding their second score.

Prendergast extended the home side’s lead with 55 minutes gone after the Warriors were penalised at the scrum, yet this time Glasgow’s response in attack was immediate. Jordan’s delayed pass sent Rowe scampering through a gap, before chipping ahead for the chasing Sebastian Cancelliere. The Argentinian flyer in turn cleverly diverted the ball back inside with the boot for the onrushing Horne, who applied the finish to silence the Aviva Stadium crowd. Hastings couldn’t quite bring his conversion attempt around, leaving a five-point deficit with 22 minutes to play.

Momentum was with the men in black, Stafford McDowall’s introduction into the back-row providing yet another dimension to the Glasgow physicality. Murphy Walker and Nathan McBeth were also making their presence known in the tight and the loose, as the match ticked into its final 10 minutes.

The home side would have just enough to see off the Glasgow rally, however, a late penalty from Ciaran Frawley denying Smith’s men even the consolation of a losing bonus-point. Yet it was a performance that earned the acclaim of the travelling Warrior Nation following the full-time whistle, as attentions swiftly turned to knockout rugby, and the visit of the DHL Stormers to Scotstoun for a rematch of last season’s quarter-final in a fortnight’s time.

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