KELLEHER RIPS IT UP IN CRUISE FOR BLUES
WHEN Andy Farrell was taking notes as he took in Leinster’s impressive win last night, a few things would be have been confirmed for the Ireland head coach.
Hugo Keenan is nailed-on to start at full-back against Japan next month. Garry Ringrose will start at outside centre and Tadhg Furlong is first-choice tighthead. He didn’t need to see last night’s performance to confirm that, however.
What will have pleased Farrell the most was the form of Ronan Kelleher. The Leinster hooker was sublime here. His first-half try will make the highlights reels but there was so much more to like. Kelleher was explosive, powerful and aggressive all evening. The Irish management have been slow to start him at Test level, preferring the more reliable, if workmanlike, Rob Herring but this is Kelleher’s time.
Gavin Coombes is tearing up trees with Munster but it would be virtually impossible to leave Caelan Doris and Jack Conan out of the Ireland backrow next month.
Both were excellent here. The autumn internationals have arrived too early for Dan Leavy and Adam Byrne but, if they keep playing like this, they will be right in the mix for the 2022 Six Nations.
There is a sense that Leinster have failed to hit top gear this season.
That is certainly the feeling within the camp. You’d wonder why a team riding high at the summit of the table and unbeaten after four rounds would be so self critical but those are the standards which the defending champions have set for themselves.
They came flying out of the blocks in Scotstoun. There’s a reason why Leo Cullen’s side have won this tournament on the past four occasions. When they get into their rhythm, there is no team in this league who can live with them. And the Blue machine was humming nicely in the early exchanges as Leinster moved through phase after phase. An early three-pointer from Ross Byrne was due reward for all the pressure from the visitors.
Leinster had ball carriers and ball players aplenty. The likes of Tadhg Furlong, Jack Conan and Caelan Doris were punching holes while Ross Byrne, Ciaran Frawley and Hugo Keenan were pulling the strings out wide.
Leavy was showing up well and it was a deft offload from the Leinster openside which proved the catalyst for the opening try of the night.
Leavy’s sleight of hand put Adam Byrne into space and the Leinster wing drew Rufus McLean to give Ronan Kelleher a free run down the touchline.
There has been a lot of chat recently about Dan Sheehan’s mobility and dynamism around the park, but Kelleher reminded everyone what he can do on a rugby pitch.
The 23-year-old, who toured with the Lions in the summer, fended off his opposite number Johnny Mathews before stepping Glasgow full-back Ross Thompson and riding the tackle of McLean to score a superb try. His brother Cian, a wing who left the province in the summer, would surely have nodded in approval.
Ross Thompson fired over a penalty for the hosts but Leinster immediately replied with another try out of the top drawer.
Virtually every Leinster player featured in the build-up but it was Keenan who applied the killer finish, racing onto James Lowe’s deft offload to score. Ross Byrne converted to make it 17-3.
The Glasgow players much have wondered why they were trailing by 14 points. They threw everything at Leinster in the opening 40 minutes with little reward.
When Jack Dempsey burrowed his way over the line in the dying seconds of the half, it reflected their first-half efforts. Conan had been sent to the sinbin at that stage after illegally slowing down Glasgow’s ball during another promising attack. It left matters evenly poised at the break.
But Leinster would show their class again when quick hands from Ringrose and Ross Byrne sent Adam Byrne away for a fine finish in the corner. Byrne added the touchline conversion for good measure.
Soon, Sheehan, on for Kelleher, was barging his way over the line for the bonus pointclinching try.
Lewis Bean crossed late for Glasgow, but it was merely a consolation. Leinster were a class apart all night. GLASGOW WARRIORS: R Thompson; K Steyn, S Tuipulotu (N Grigg 71), S Johnson, R McLean; D Weir (C Forbes 57) , A Price (E Pieretto 64); J Bhatti (O Kebble 46), J Matthews (G Turner 40), Z Fagerson; R Harley, R Gray; R Wilson (L Bean 64) (capt), R Darge (M Fagerson 63), J Dempsey Scorers - Tries: Dempsey. Cons: Thompson. Pens: Thompson/ LEINSTER: H Keenan; A Byrne, G Ringrose (J Osborne 71), C Frawley, J Lowe; R Byrne, L McGrath (capt) (J Gibson-Park 65); C Healy, (E Byrne 54) R Kelleher (D Sheehan 54), T Furlong (M Ala’alatoa 54); R Molony, R Baird (D Toner 51); C Doris (R Ruddock 66), D Leavy (J van der Flier 51), J Conan Scorers - Tries: Kelleher, Keenan, A Byrne, Sheehan. Cons: R Byrne (4). Pens: R Byrne Yellow card: Conan, Gibson-Park Referee: G Evans (Wales)