Emirate Lions 36 Leinster 39
In the broader scheme of things, Saturday’s URC clash in Johannesburg was low-key enough. Already sure of qualification to the knock-out stages, Leinster put out an experimental squad for this penultimate league clash in the regular series.
The sparse selection of spectators at Ellis Park who attended were treated to an absolute belter of a tie, with a penalty from young outhalf Sam Prendergast on the blow of full time ensuring a 16th win from 17th outings for the visitors who complete their programme away to Bulls next Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria (3pm kick-off)
For Prendergast, very much the star in Ireland’s successful Under-20 Grand Slam, it was certainly a debut to remember for the former Newbridge College student.
Winger Tommy O’Brien could be equally happy having ruptured his ACL last May. And speaking on his first start since May, O’Brien could not contain his joy after Leinster had overturned a 15-point deficit in the second half.
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“Man, the boys pulled it out of the bag there,” said O’Brien after the game. “It’s an unbelievable result, keeps the winning streak alive.
“I’ve been 10 months out so glad to get back out there and I needed one in the altitude to start me off.”
With nine of Leinster’s 23-man matchday squad under double figures for appearances heading into Saturday’s clash, it was always going to be a big ask for the visitors against a Lions side who were looking for a third win on the bounce.
And the task facing them became ever bigger when fullback Chris Cosgrave joined Nick McCarthy in the sinbin after a deliberate knock-on after an hour with the Bulls set to pounce in the left-hand corner.
The double whammy that was the penalty try left Leinster 36-14 down, but following the introduction of their leading try scorer Rob Russell the game took a considerable turn.
After a penalty from Prendergast, a clever chip into space from the outhalf would see Russell touch down on the right-hand side and then with five minutes to go some terrific footwork by Cosgrave secured a fifth try for the visitors. Prendergast converted and then sealed the win with a penalty in the dying seconds.
Victory then for Leinster but it looked anything like that earlier on. Although getting off to a good start following a converted try from Vaktang Abdaladze, a number of handling errors would interrupt Leinster’s momentum as Lions ran in back to back tries through Edwill van der Merwe and Gianni Lombard, the latter converted by Lions scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba.
An injection of pace from Liam Turner, would see the Leinster back go over on the right on the half-hour but Prendergast’s conversion would be Leinster’s last score of the half.
A reverse pass from Nohamba would send Marius Loew over for a try and a minute later, the Leinster rearguard was exposed once more when number eight Francke Horn cut in from the left to ring up the bonus point for Bulls, Nohamba’s conversion leaving it 26-14 at half-time.
The second half began with a converted Mike Milne try for Leinster and this was followed by penalties at each end from Prendergast and Nohamba.
And while yellow cards handed out to McCarthy (54) and Cosgrave (60) would briefly hand the initiative back to Bulls, Leinster dug in deep to secure the win.
SCORERS – Leinster: V Abadaladze, L Turner, M Milne, R Russell, C Cosgrave try each; S Prendergast 2 pens, 4 cons. Lions: Penalty try, E van der Merwe, G Lombard, M Lowe, F Horne try each; S Nohambe pen, 3 cons.
LIONS: Q Horn; S Pienaar, M Rass, M Louw, E van der Merwe; G Lombard, S Nohamba; R Rijnsburger, PJ Botha, A Ntlabakanye; W Alberts, R Schoeman; J Kriel, R Delptort, F Horn.
Subs: R Dreyer for Ntlabakanye, J P Smith for Rijnsburger (both 51 mins); T Gordon for Delport (64); M van den Berg for Nohamba (70); A Coetzee for Pienaar, R Janker for Rass, D Lane Lansberk for Schoeman (all 73).
LEINSTER: C Cosgrave; T O’Brien, L Turner, B Brownlee, D Kearney; S Prendergast, N McCarthy; M Milne, L Barron, V Abalazdze; B Deeney, J Denkins; R Ruddock, W Connors, M Deegan
Subs: T Clarkson for Abalazdze (26 mins); T McElroy for Barron (34); E Byrne for Milne (49); J Culhane for Ruddock (58); A Soroko for Deery, B Murphy for O’Brien (both 62); R Russell for McCarthy (64), C Tector for Brownlee (76).
Referee: M Adamson (Scotland).
