A COMPLETE BLOOD BATH
Blues destroy English cracks in rainy Dublin FARRELL THE HERO FOR SARACENS BUT
RUGBY UNION CHAMPIONS CUP Cardiff 14 Saracens 26
Leo Cullen’s side set themselves up for next month’s Pool 1 final two fixtures with a six-try demolition of Bath, who they also beat in a much closer affair at The Rec a week earlier.
With pool leaders Toulouse earning a bonus point win at home to Wasps earlier in the day, the onus was on Leinster keeping pace ahead of their crunch showdown with the Red and Blacks on January 12 in Dublin.
“They’re travelling very well,” said Cullen. “It’s classic Toulouse of the Guy Noves era, they’ll be a handful and are sitting pretty at the top of the pool, so we’ve plenty of work to do.”
They did just that. The Blues scored four tries inside the first 40 minutes to wrap up the winning bonus point ahead of the half-time oranges.
It could have been more as, with their backline humming, they electrified the 40,261 attendance, Harlem Globetrotters-style. But on a wet night, it was more than enough.
“We were better this week in the contact area,” said Leinster boss Cullen. Last week was a bit of a shock to some of the guy coming back in after the November internationals.
“Overall we played with a bit more attacking intent and the guys were very clinical.
“We’ve three huge interpro games coming up now, we’ll park Europe and see where everyone sits after this weekend.”
Bath took a third minute lead through James Wilson’s penalty but Leinster swiftly hit back with the opening try.
A delicate Sexton kick out wide to James Lowe got Leinster motoring and a slick move involving Tadhg Furlong, Sexton and Garry Ringrose was finished off by Dan Leavy. Conan charged through Jamie Roberts and ignored the attention of Will Chudley and Semesa Rokoduguni to score. Sexton’s conver- OWEN FARRELL Came to the rescue of Saracens’ eightmonth unbeaten record – then complained his all-conquering team were ‘too nice’.
England’s captain kicked 16 points and produced a moment of sheer magic to turn a half-time deficit into a 22nd consecutive match without defeat.
But despite the Londoners moving four points clear at
FFFFFsion wasn’t easy but he nailed it and the Blues pushed on with their second try on 12 minutes.
The visitors had no answer as Sexton on the loop found Jordan Larmour, who was caught just before the try line.
But he off-loaded to Rory O’loughlin - marking his return to the starting line with a converted try.
Bath replied with a try of their own Francois Louw.
Leinster’s Lowe conceded a penalty that provided Bath with crucial territory. Wilson’s offload to Jacques van Rooyen was the crucial moment before Louw did the rest.
Wilson’s conversion made it 14-10 after 21 minutes.
That was as good as it got for Bath, however, as Leinster redoubled their efforts - and extended their lead through Lowe’s opportunism.
An excursion into the opposition 22 led to nothing but, with a penalty advantage, Lowe grabbed the ball, took a quick tap and was close enough to the try line to burst through four men to score. Sexton added the top of their Champions Cup pool, Farrell was far from happy.
“The first half, we were too nice – it’s not what we are about,” he fumed. “We were more like our real selves in the second but at half-time the extras and Leinster turned on the after-burners.
A Sexton kick-through off a Conan intercept just evaded Adam Byrne in the right-hand corner, while a brilliant move involving most of the hosts’ backline just ran out of road on the other side.
But the fourth try did arrive before the interval as Sexton’s crosskick saw Byrne out-jump Darren Atkins to score.
Sexton’s conversion made it 28-10 and there was little reprieve for the English after the restart.
A big drive by James Ryan in the 46th minute left Bath in trouble and Leavy was there to pounce under the posts.
Bath mustered a quick response, winning a scrum penalty on half-way and, having gained control off a line-out five metres out from Leinster’s line, Underhill muscled over but Wilson missed the conversion.
Leinster took the opportunity to withdraw their half-back partnership of Sexton and Mcgrath just after the our.
But that didn’t stop the Blues adding to their total.
Sub prop Andrew Porter’s intercept and run opened Bath up and Lowe’s perfect off-load sent over Mcgrath’s replacement Jamison Gibson Park.
Ross Byrne converted in unorthodox fashion as the wind and rain whipped up. we were frustrated. We hadn’t put a performance together.”
Farrell’s theme was picked up by boss Mark Mccall who revealed a dissatisfaction within the ranks of the English champions.
“We’ve got a group that is very picky with incredibly high standards,” he said. “They are very ambitious.
“Today was about the result and getting it done, but overall. there is a discontent with some of what we are serving up. We’re doing okay