LEINSTER BACK ON TOP AFTER A THRILLER IN THE RDS
Despite Leavy’s early try it was a tense RDS finish for Leinster
MARCH madness this was, an uncharacteristically nervous Leinster win where they came from behind and clung on rather than comfortably triumphed with something to spare as they have done practically all season.
Far too many turnovers and slack tackling was their repeated problem. All three Cardiff tries came from counter-attacks from deep in their half, free-spirited creativity generously assisted by slack home resistance, their tackle completion rate barely rising above 70pc.
These weaknesses very nearly had the final say, time almost up when the countering Tom James found himself in space down the wide channel.
However, he failed to back himself to reach the line, the distraction of a scrambling Isa Nacewa arriving from the far corner prompting a hesitation that led to the Cardiff replacement slipping. The move ground to a halt some moments later in midfield with a carelessly thrown forward pass.
Pacey Wasps will still feel Cardiff’s opportunism has given an insight into what to do to generate a European quarter-final sting next Saturday. But what can’t be lost sight of amid the quibbling underperformance is how yesterday’s Leinster XV featured just three – Luke McGrath, Cian Healy and Dan Leavy – of their 10 involved in last week’s win over England.
In other words, the league-leading hosts will be at a very different intensity in six days’ time at Lansdowne Road even though they face the daunting challenging of assimilating their best players into a team they haven’t played with since the January draw at Castres.
‘It’s certainly a timely reminder… a good reality check,’ admitted Leo Cullen, absorbing the scare that so nearly left them beaten at the RDS for the first time since Wasps’ last visit in November 2015.
‘It’s tight this league. You look at a team like Cardiff, a lot of experience, good pros who have been around and they have a lot of pace. We talked about their threat: I’m not sure anybody was listening.
‘We forced things but that can sometimes be as a result of the games that have gone before. You get into that habit where you think you’re just going to score, score and score, but it just doesn’t work out like that in reality. We definitely rode our luck at times.’
In front of just over 10,000, the afternoon attendance reduced by going head-to-head with four AIL Division 1A matches in the capital, Leinster initially picked up where they left off three weeks ago.
A maximum 20 points was harvested from the four-match Six Nations block and on taking just over four minutes to breeze ahead, Leavy making the corner, it appeared another rout was on. But despite bossing possession and territory, it didn’t pan out that way.
Cardiff were soon level, barnstorming Rey Lee-Lo linking with Blaine Scully to set up Tomos Williams, and while Leinster led 14-7 at the interval following McGrath’s snipe, two tries in a 10-minute second-half spell planted seed for an upset. Williams grabbed his second after Nacewa’s grubber was gobbled up. Then, sub Sion Bennett raced away off a Lee-Lo assist after another 22 break-out.
But Leinster, pleased that Josh van der Flier managed 80 minutes to offset the loss of Jamie Heaslip and Rob Kearney, didn’t take fright, Cardiff’s lead was eventually eclipsed by a Ross Byrne penalty and the defining 67th minute Ross Molony try off the maul.