RUGBY Leinster 42 Ulster 13:THE MOST surprising aspect was that it took Leinster 77 scrappy minutes to beat the 24-point handicap offered by the bookmakers once they saw this Ulster third-string selection on paper.
“You come out on St Stephen’s Day to get a job done,” said Joe Schmidt afterwards. And that’s all it was in the end.
The supporters who showed up to see tries were made wait 17 minutes before a brave and largely unknown Ulster defence faltered.
Granted, Peter Fitzgibbon’s refereeing of the scrum was frustrating but the blunt force approach of the more grizzled Leinster forwards was clearly not working. Cian Healy then Leo Auva’a were held up over the line, ensuring it required a few inventive moments from Ian Madigan to get the scoreboard ticking.
Progress to this juncture in Madigan’s career has surely been stymied by a lack of place-kicking expertise, because the 22-year-old is gifted in every other aspect of outhalf play.
The first two Leinster tries were all his doing. The scrum awarded after Auva’a’s lunge saw the heavies pounding away. When the ball eventually came back to Madigan on the short side, he had the vision to slingshot it past two waiting hands where Fionn Carr could stroll in unopposed. Fergus McFadden belted over the touchline conversion from the right.
The second try was another jog over, for Seán Cronin, after Madigan threw an accurate cut-out pass, this time off his other hand. McFadden again added the extras from the touchline.
The Leinster rhythm was punctuated by two James McKinney penalties but their dominance was rewarded before half-time. It came off the umpteenth penalty in the Ulster 22. Once again Shane Jennings opted for the scrum and once again Auva’a charged from the base. This time flanker Neil McComb fell off the tackle allowing a clean route in under the posts. McFadden converted again.
The rout seemed imminent, but it was a long time coming. In fact, Ulster got the next try, when Chris Cochrane touched down, before the game entered a lull.
The malaise only ended when Fitzgibbon finally accepted Leinster’s dominant scrum and awarded a penalty try that secured the bonus point. Schmidt proceeded to swap both props making it seem like the game was doomed to linger at 28-13 but Jack McGrath and Jamie Hagan melted the Ulster frontrow, that included Tom Court, at the next put-in. That said everything.
Leinster came alive again down the strait with Madigan racing over to cap off an impressive individual showing, while Hagan stretched over for their sixth touchdown.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 17 mins: F Carr try, 5-0; F McFadden conv, 7-0; 24 mins: S Cronin try, 12-0; F McFadden conv, 14-0; 27 mins: J McKinney pen, 14-3; 35 mins: J McKinney pen, 14-6; 40 mins: L Auva'a try, 19-6; F McFadden conv, 21-6. Half-time. 47 mins: C Cochrane try, 21-11; J McKinney conv, 21-13; 67 mins: pen try, 26-13; F McFadden conv, 28-13; 71 mins: I Madigan try, 33-13; F McFadden conv, 35-13; 77 mins: J Hagan try, 40-13; F McFadden conv, 42-13.
LEINSTER: L Fitzgerald; D Kearney, F McFadden, G D'Arcy, F Carr; I Madigan, E Reddan; C Healy, S Cronin, M Ross, D Browne, D Toner, K McLaughlin, S Jennings (capt), L Auva'a. Replacements: A Conway for F Carr (52 mins), R Ruddock for D Browne (56), E O'Malley for D Kearney (63), R Strauss for S Cronin (64), J Hagan for M Ross (68), J McGrath for C Healy (69), I Boss for E Reddan, S Sykes for D Toner (both 72).
ULSTER: P Nelson; C Cochrane, M Allen, C Farrell, C Gaston; J McKinney, P Marshall; C Black, N Brady (capt), A Macklin, T Barker, L Stevenson, N McComb, A Birch, R Diack. Replacements: C Joyce for T Barker (20 mins), T Court for A Macklin (half-time), I Porter for P Marshall, S Olding for J McKinney (both 68), J Simpson for C Joyce, N Annett for N Brady (both 72), R Andrew for C Cochrane (80).
Referee: P Fitzgibbon(IRFU).
