Leinster 20 Ospreys 16:AFTER THE Lord Mayor's Ball. For much of the night the RDS was a library compared to last week's volcanic eruption of noise, but after an initial if understandable let-down following the momentous Euro epic of seven night's previously, Leinster roused themselves sufficiently to overcame a tiring Ospreys.
For most of the first half the Ospreys were pro-active, Leinster reactive, but they know how to roll with the punches like few others. Only Connacht have scored fewer tries in the league, but Leinster have the best defence and, having limited the damage, there was enough inspiration from Jamie Heaslip, string-pulling from Shaun Berne and all-round work-rate for them to extend their unbeaten run to 11 games and their lead at the top of the table to seven points.
When you know how to win, you know how to win.
Eoin Reddan was withdrawn before kick-off with a strained quadricep, as was Lee Byrne for the Ospreys.
But, best of all, Scottish referee Peter Allan didn’t make it either, and with Alan Lewis deputising this made for a more fluid game.
Whatever levels of disappointment and weariness the Ospreys possessed after their Euro exit and heavy load was offset by their desire to achieve something tangible from their season.
Leinster outhalf Paul O’Donohoe, granted only his second start in Reddan’s absence, looked the good footballer he is around the paddock – not least when he stood up Shane Williams in the tackle by the corner flag – but his service could have been crisper.
Outside him, Berne’s influence initially paled by comparison to Dan Biggar, who showed the RDS faithful what a classy outhalf he is, but, by the time he made way for James Hook, Berne was increasingly running the show.
Leinster’s offloading game has not been one of the outstanding features of their season, and it too paled by comparison to the skills from one to 15 which the Ospreys demonstrated. That Williams opportunity arose from the soft hands and close-in offloads and support play of lock Alun Wyn Jones and tighthead Adam Jones.
But it was in contact and at the breakdown – normally a Leinster strength – where the Ospreys initially showed desire for the physical scrap. The effect was that Leinster’s ball was tortuously slow, until they upped the intensity in the second half.
One of the few to maintain his standards, and right now those standards are higher than almost anyone’s, was Heaslip in a good backrow unit.
Leinster scrummed well, and, aside from his wondrous footwork, Gordon D’Arcy put in an encouragingly strong shift alongside the reliable Fergus McFadden. Isa Nacewa put in some meaty hits and looked dangerous, while Girvan Dempsey was solid as ever.
At one point Heaslip even generated go-forward momentum while carrying Berne on his dipped shoulders, and he came to Leinster’s rescue early on with a try-saving tackle on Andrew Bishop after Kevin McLaughlin had spilled O’Donohoe’s high pass.
This in turn led to Nacewa picking off a long, loopy skip pass by Biggar intended for Marty Holah and running in the 75-metre try under the posts.
Curiously, given the doubts about Jonathan Sexton and the possibility that Berne might inherit the kicking duties in Toulouse, McFadden tapped over the conversion for the first of a four-from-six haul.
Leinster lived off that for the rest of the half. McFadden and Biggar exchanged penalties, before the latter landed a monster effort from near half-way and the touchline after Shane Jennings had not rolled away.
Then Ian Gough stole John Fogarty’s throw and, despite a couple of good tackles by Jennings, Filo Tiatia broke through Healy’s effort, and Biggar lined up Stanley Wright for a one-on-one by the posts. He converted himself.
The Ospreys deserved the lead.
But Leinster resumed with renewed hunger and, no doubt, their ears singed by Michael Cheika.
Leinster had rediscovered some devil – too much so for Lewis’ liking when Cullen did some excavating with his studs.
Suitably told off, Cullen was soon providing off-the-top ball for Berne to cut through diagonally beyond the outstretched arms of Holah for a try under the posts. McFadden’s tap-over conversion gave Leinster the lead.
Thereafter the force was with them. Heaslip continued to lead the charge and the Ospreys emptied their bench, but still wilted.
However, McFadden missed another kickable penalty and then Berne was denied a drop goal by Lewis and the TMO, even though it looked good on the replays.
The Ospreys threatened a late mugging, until Ian Gough stupidly thrust his arm across Berne after the latter’s chip and Lewis had no option but to bin him. McFadden drilled the 48-metre penalty.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 11 mins: Nacewa try, McFadden con 7-0; 15: Biggar pen 7-3; 18: McFadden pen 10-3; 21: Biggar pen 10-6; 32: Biggar try, con 10-13; 35: Biggar pen 10-16; (half-time 10-16); 51: Berne try, McFadden con 17-16; 75: McFadden pen 20-16.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, F McFadden, G D'Arcy, I Nacewa; S Berne, P O'Donohoe; C Healy, J Fogarty, M Ross, L Cullen (capt), N Hines, K McLaughlin, S Jennings, J Heaslip. Replacements: S Wright for Ross, M O'Kelly for Hines (both half-time), Stephen Keogh for McLaughlin (65-68 mins). Not used: R Strauss, E O'Malley, A Conway, Simon Keogh.
OSPREYS: G Owen; N Walker, S Parker, A Bishop, S Williams; D Biggar, J Nutbrown; P James, E Shervington, A Jones, I Gough, A Wyn Jones, J Collins (capt), M Holah, F Tiatia. Replacements: I Evans for A Wyn Jones, J Hook for Biggar (both 51 mins), C Mitchell for A Jones (58 mins), R Jones for Tiatia, M Phillips for Nutbrown (both 62 mins), T Pryde for Owen (78 mins). Not used: S Baldwin. Sinbinned: Gough (75 mins).
Referee: Alan Lewis (IRFU).
