Leinster 24 Ulster 11
Same new Leinster, the usual concerns but getting by, with some additional problems as well. Jamie Heaslip damaged his right shoulder and being unfamiliar to injury of any kind he thundered into the next available ruck only to writhe in pain on the ground. Of course he got up but the medics had seen enough, calling ashore the Leinster captain for the first time since he rolled his ankle away to Clermont in December 2010.
The damage was immediately reported by Matt O’Connor as a “bang on his AC joint but it shouldn’t be significant”. He added: “It’s a rarity for Heaslip to leave the scene prematurely, let alone miss a game, so history is in our favour, but we’ll see how it works out after he has been scanned.”
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Shane Jennings (hamstring, again) had cried off moments before kick-off and with Rhys Ruddock and Dominic Ryan already on ice Leinster had themselves a new backrow of Jordi Murphy at blindside, Josh van der Flier on the openside and Jack Conan at number eight.
The trio completely outplayed their direct opponents with Murphy returning to the standard that saw him capped at Twickenham last March. The brutality of Conan’s carrying saw him named man of the match by Stuart Barnes.
But this is nothing like the Ulster team Leinster beat at this venue in last season’s Pro12 semi-final. All change, they look half the proposition they once were.
Maybe, like Tommy Bowe before them, Ruan Pienaar and Rory Best picked up injuries but hauling off these two with a losing bonus point still up for grabs felt like an acceptance of defeat.
It meant Leinster, playing to their usual sloppy, kick-a-lot selves coasted to victory.
Ian Madigan’s three penalties bettered two from Pienaar to leave it 9-6 at the turn.
Dan Tuohy was having a fine game for Ulster, wearing number four, perhaps doing enough to put Devin Toner’s Ireland selection in doubt. Alas, the abrasive lock didn’t do himself any favours when sin-binned for needlessly killing ball to gift Madigan his third penalty.
With the numerical advantage, Leinster exploded into the second half with Murphy flying down the left wing to bring play deep into enemy territory. Craig Gilroy illegally snuffed out a certain try with a hit on Madigan.
The call “Rog” could be heard from the field as Madigan feigned to kick for an attacking lineout only to solo and dive over the line. His conversion made it 16-6.
Ronan O’Gara famously did something similar to beat South Africa at Lansdowne road in 2004.
“That lapse in concentration, for a fairly soft try, was a pivotal moment in the game,” said Best afterwards.
It got worse from an Irish perspective as Bowe gingerly departed the scene. At least Luke Marshall’s arrival contributed to Ulster’s only try, the centre taking Roger Wilson’s pass off the scrum only to be stopped a few metres short. Pienaar rifled it wide where Wiehahn Herbst muscled over.
But that was the only shot they fired.
Leinster continued to dominate possession and while their accuracy of passing remains highly suspect there was enough flashes of Luke Fitzgerald’s brilliance to warrant an international recall.
On 57 minutes Fitzgerald received a pass from Madigan with two defenders immediately on him. He shuffled and stepped past the pair of them before freeing Gordon D’Arcy down the tramline. Ulster eventually killed the ball, with Tuohy or Best somehow avoiding another yellow card, as Madigan landed his fifth successful shot at goal.
Pienaar finished with two from five place kicks.
It finished, aptly enough, with Conan barrelling through Robbie Diack for Leinster’s second try.
An individual pecking order shifted there perhaps but the Pro 12 table was certainly altered with Leinster moving to fourth on 36 points, one clear of Ulster with Connacht holding firm in sixth on 32 points.
“If we can get a few more bodies back on the pitch,” said Leo Cullen, “ we can come through this difficult period.”
Scoring sequence – 16 mins: R Pienaar pen, 0-3; 21 mins: I Madigan pen, 3-3; 25 mins: R Pienaar pen, 3-6; 31 mins: I Madigan pen, 6-6; 40 mins: I Madigan pen, 9-6. Half-time. 42 mins: I Madigan try, 14-6; I Madigan conv, 16-6; 49 mins: W Herbst try, 16-11; 60 mins: I Madigan pen, 19-11; 79 mins: J Conan try, 24-11.
Leinster: Z Kirchner; F McFadden, L Fitzgerald, G D’Arcy, D Kearney; I Madigan, I Boss; J McGrath, R Strauss, M Ross; D Toner, M McCarthy; J Conan, J Murphy, H Heaslip (capt). Replacements: J van der Flier for J Heaslip (28 mins, inj), S Cronin for R Strauss, T Furlong for M Ross (both 55 mins), K Douglas for M McCarthy (60 mins), J Gopperth for Z Kirchner (65 mins), L McGrath for I Boss (68 mins), M Bent for J McGrath (72 mins), B Te’o for G D’Arcy (76 mins).
Ulster: P Nelson; T Bowe, D Cave, S Olding, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; C Black, R Best (capt), W Herbst; D Tuohy, F van der Merwe; R Diack, C Ross, R Wilson. Replacements: L Marshall for T Bowe (48 mins), S Reidy for C Ross (64 mins), A Warwick for C Black, B Ross for W Herbst, A O’Connor for F van der Merwe (all 68 mins), R Herring for R Best, P Marshall for R Pienaar (both 74 mins).
Referee: M Mitrea (Italy).
