Leinsterwinbutmustdobetter:Leo
LEINSTER stayed firmly in control of Pool 3 in the Champions Cup with an epic victory over Premiership champions Exeter at the Aviva Stadium.
Combined with the win over the same opposition in Sandy Park last weekend, it leaves them unbeaten and five points clear with two games to come in January — at home to Glasgow, in the RDS, and away to Montpellier.
It’s the first time since 2004/05 that Leinster have won their first four pool games in Europe’s premier competition.
Their target now will be to stay in pole position with enough points to secure another date in the Aviva in the quarter-finals.
Inevitably Saturday’s tense 2217 win came at a cost, and Johnny Sexton didn’t get beyond the third minute having been concussed in trying to stop Exeter’s opening try.
His replacement Ross Byrne also had to go off for a head injury assessment, following a massive collision, but coach Leo Cullen maintained it was more neck than head. They also had to get over two yellow cards — for Cian Healy and Scott Fardy — both in the first half at the end of which they were 17-9 behind.
Leinster took the lead for the first time after 67 minutes, when replacement Dan Leavy made a great break and put Luke McGrath over from 20 metres.
With Sexton off the field, Isa Nacewa took over the kicking duties with a 100 per cent return from six attempts — which contributed hugely to him getting the man-of-the-match award.
“He retired five years ago,” Cullen said of his captain. “It’s incredible that he could step up and lead the team like that on the back of a six-day turnaround.
“We can be a hell of a lot better. But I’m proud of the players. If we want to progress, we have to get a lot better.”