skip to main content
United Rugby Championship logo

Leinster douse spirited Dragons fire to extend URC lead

Harry Byrne scored two tries
Harry Byrne scored two tries

Leinster recorded a routine if hard-fought victory over Dragons to extend their lead at the top of the BTK United Rugby Championship.

With most of the front-liners in Ireland camp, it was a second string outfit, who still included seven Irish internationals in their starting XV, that ran in seven tries against a spirited Welsh outfit.

The bonus point was wrapped up by half-time, with tries from Harry Byrne (2), Luke McGrath and Rhys Ruddock, but following Jordan Larmour's try in the 47th minute, Leo Cullen’s side went 25 minutes without adding to their score.

Rob Russell and Charlie Tector scored late tries with former Munster out-half JJ Hanrahan on the scoresheet with one of two consolation tries for the visitors.

"It was a tough game, the first half was difficult playing into that wind but we finished it really strongly," McGrath told RTÉ Sport after the match.

"Dragons put us under plenty of pressure, especially at the breakdown, they were very hard in defence, coming at us and we'd a few inaccuracies but we’ll take a bonus-point win any day of the week

"It was a good team performance in the end. We’ve a lot to improve on for Edinburgh in two weeks’ time."

The Dragons, despite the off-field turmoil in Welsh rugby, arrived in Dublin in determined mood and put up admirable resistance for the first half, without having the quality to take advantage of decent territory and possession.

Leinster did take the lead through Byrne's try in the fourth minute but there was to be no onslaught.

Dai Flanagan's side started round 14 with the best lineout record in the competition but were left to rue some sloppy execution.

And they were at fault for Leinster’s second when McGrath spotted a loop pass move and picked off Will Reed’s attempted return before running in from 60 yards.

But Leinster gave away two penalties in quick succession and this time some soft hands and quick rucks paved the way for scrum-half Rhodri Williams to dive over.

Reed, who had missed an earlier penalty attempt, converted and the visitors only trailed by seven points shortly before the break.

They would surely have taken that before the game kicked off, however, they messed around at a lineout on the halfway line, conceding a free kick, which they failed to defend, allowing McGrath to tap quickly.

The Ireland scrum-half had Scott Penny in support and he offloaded for Ruddock to apply the finishing touch.

Byrne, who also kicked three conversions, flopped over for his second after a sustained period of pressure, started by a Ruddock break, with the clock in the red and the bonus was secured.

Larmour went over for try number five in the 47th minute when he spotted space on the short side and ran in 22 yards before diving in the corner.

That precipitated a 25-minute spell where Leinster toiled and struggled to impose their game, with the only score coming from Hanrahan's converted try in the 63rd minute, by which stage Leinster had introduced seven of their eight replacements, including a debut for prop Jack Boyle.

Ireland flanker Will Connors was also brought on as he continued his comeback from injury as Leinster made it 14 wins in a row in the competition.

Good build-up play by Jimmy O'Brien, along with Larmour, Jamie Osborne and Michael Milne released from Andy Farrell's squad on the Six Nations down week, and Lee Barron set up Russell for try number six in the 72nd minute and Tector barged over for the final score.

Leinster: Jimmy O'Brien, Jordan Larmour, Liam Turner, Jamie Osborne, Dave Kearney, Harry Byrne, Luke McGrath; Michael Milne, John McKee, Michael Ala'alatoa, Ross Molony, Brian Deeny, Rhys Ruddock (Capt), Scott Penny, Max Deegan

Replacements: Lee Barron, Jack Boyle, Thomas Clarkson, Jason Jenkins, Will Connors, Nick McCarthy, Charlie Tector, Rob Russell

Dragons: Angus O'Brien, Sio Tomkinson, Steff Hughes, Jack Dixon, Ashton Hewitt, Will Reed, Rhodri Williams (Capt), Rhodri Jones, Brodie Coghlan, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, Ben Carter, Ben Fry, Taine Basham, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: James Benjamin, Aki Seiuli, Chris Coleman, Sean Lonsdale, Ryan Woodman, Lewis Jones, JJ Hanrahan, Jordan Williams

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Read Next