Leinster get back to winning ways with bonus-point victory in Italy

Tadhg Furlong in possession during this afternoon’s win over Benetton. Source: Elena Barbini/INPHO

Benetton 3
Leinster 31

LEINSTER BOUNCED BACK from their Heineken Champions Cup defeat to Toulouse with a resounding victory away to Benetton today in the Guinness Pro14.

Leo Cullen’s side, who started with just four members of the team beaten in France last weekend, registered five tries in a 3-31 win at the Stadio Monigo to strengthen their grip on top spot in Conference B.

With less than five minutes on the clock, the visitors hit the front when Adam Byrne got on the end of a kick in behind the Benetton defence from man-of-the-match Jamison Gibson-Park.

Adam Byrne celebrates his opening try with Scott Fardy. Source: Elena Barbini/INPHO

A 25th-minute penalty from Antonio Rizzi turned out to be Benetton’s only score of the game. Four minutes later, James Tracy scored from a powerful lineout maul, before Ross Byrne added the extras to leave Leinster leading 12-3 at the break.

Five minutes after being introduced as a replacement for Rob Kearney, who appeared to pick up a shoulder injury, 22-year-old Conor O’Brien marked his first appearance of the season with his first Leinster try on 50 minutes, which was again converted by Ross Byrne.

Andrew Porter, supplemented by Byrne’s conversion, increased Leinster’s lead eight minutes later, before Joe Tomane got in for his first try for the province with five minutes remaining.

Scorers

BENETTON: Jayden Hayward (Angelo Esposito, 59), Iliesa Ratuva, Juan Ignacio Brex, Alberto Sgarbi, Monty Ioane, Antonio Rizzi, Dewaldt Duvenage (Tito Tebaldi, 51); Derrick Appiah (Alberto De Marchi, 59), Epalahame Faiva (Tomas Baravalle, 51), Marco Riccioni (Simone Ferrari, 47), Irne Herbst (Tommaso Iannone, 71), Federico Ruzza, Giovanni Pettinelli (Alessandro Zanni, 41), Michele Lamaro, Marco Barbini.

LEINSTER: Rob Kearney (Conor O’Brien, 45), Adam Byrne, Rory O’Loughlin, Robbie Henshaw, Joe Tomane, Ross Byrne (Noel Reid, 65), Jamison Gibson-Park (Hugh O’Sullivan, 70); Jack McGrath (Ed Byrne, 51), James Tracy (Bryan Byrne, 51), Tadhg Furlong (Andrew Porter, 51), Scott Fardy (Ross Molony, 61), James Ryan (Scott Fardy 70), Sean O’Brien (Rhys Ruddock, 60), Max Deegan.