Wasn’t pretty but at least we got the bonus says Cullen

LEINSTER coach Leo Cullen was happy to come through another gruelling battle against Benetton to extend their winning run in the PRO14 to 21 games.

In the end Leinster secured a second bonus point win of the campaign but they were forced to dig deep by the Italians at Stadio Monigo on an evening when 1,000 socially distant fans were allowed to return to the Treviso venue.

“We’re pleased to get out of here with the bonus point,” Cullen said. “It wasn’t the prettiest of games but, overall, I thought the guys fronted up well.

“We knew there would be a physical onslaught coming from them and they are very hard to stop when they get a roll on.”

Leinster led 20-13 at the break with scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, called into the Irish squad this week, dictating matters in a stop-start encounter which opened with Ross Byrne and Italian U20 fly-half Paolo Gabrisi twice exchanging penalties in the opening quarter.

Leinster struck for the first try just as Benetton winger Ratuva Tavuyara was ending his spell in the bin for a deliberate knock-on. A penalty to the corner resulted in hooker James Tracy driving over at the back of a maul.

Benetton hit back and a couple of penalties in the left corner led to Leinster lock James Ryan being binned before his opposite number Sebastan Negri cut a perfect line to get through Tracy and Byrne to score.

Gibson-Park put fellow New Zealander James Lowe – who is also about to come into the Irish squad – through for a try to put Leinster ahead at the break.

Benetton enjoyed a good spell after the restart and they cut the gap when a penalty to the left corner was rewarded with a drive which hooker Hame Faiva finished, but Gabrisi missed the conversion.

The introduction of Cian Healy and Sean Cronin to the Leinster front row yielded an immediate dividend at the end of the third quarter with a penalty try awarded after a collapsed scrum. Byrne added his third penalty of the night 17 minutes from time to push the lead out to 30-18.

Benetton didn’t give up and replacement hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi ensured a nervous finish when he got over the line but Ross Molony wrapped up the win and secured the bonus point minutes from time after a fine forward drive to the line by the champions to maintain their perfect start after two games.