TREVI’ FOUNTAIN
Four-try Dan leads Leinster rout at RDS
■ Leinster 42 Benetton Treviso 10 Michael SCULLY
DAN SHEEHAN helped himself to four tries as Leinster cruised to their first home victory of the new URC season at the RDS.
All the pre-match focus was on reports from France that Stuart Lancaster had already signed a four-year deal to become Racing 92’s head coach in the summer.
Clarity on the situation — and confirmation of the move — could come from the province over the weekend or the start of next week.
But the Leinster players had to maintain tunnel vision and, after almost allowing Zebre to steal a shock victory in Parma, this was more like it from Leo Cullen’s men in front of a 13,881 crowd.
Soundtrack
The hosts took to the pitch to a pumping soundtrack that may have been heard north of the Liffey.
In keeping with the highoctane build-up, hooker Sheehan crossed the Benetton try-line three times between the seventh and 29th minutes — and then again in the 53rd minute.
Ciarán Frawley was handed the No 10 shirt before leaving for the Emerging Ireland three-match tour in South Africa.
As disappointing as Benetton were, the Skerries man did well in the role he performed impressively in for Ireland against the New Zealand Maoris.
However, he did pick up a shoulder knock in the first half — and that may have caused his withdrawal 45 minutes in.
Summer arrival Jason Jenkins was outstanding.
The South African barely played for Munster in an injury disrupted year with the Reds.
James Ryan was ruled out after feeling his hamstring in the Captain’s Run and the onus was on Jenkins to step up in the second row.
On this evidence, the 26-yearold can be a big player for the province this term.
His physicality was off the charts and he produced a barnstorming first-half display.
The contest got underway after a minute’s applause for the late Eddie Butler, and Leinster found their rhythm.
A neat Frawley sidestep put him into space in midfield before he was met by tighthead Simone Ferrari’s crunching tackle.
Robbie Henshaw stepped into the playmaker role and his kick found Caelan Doris.
Impeded
The back row off-loaded to Dave Kearney, who would have opened the scoring, but he was impeded by Mattia Bellini off the ball and the winger was yellow carded.
Doris was forced to go off for HIA but didn’t return — Will Connors got a longer than expected run-out in his place.
Leinster opened their account moments later, Sheehan gliding over as the lineout maul was worked to perfection.
The hosts conjured a second try just before Bellini’s return as Sheehan deftly cut back off the back of a maul to score. Later, his third try was a carbon copy of his first.
Ross Byrne replaced Frawley early in the second half and Leinster had their bonus point within 90 seconds. Byrne cleverly found Jordan Larmour, who fired it out to Josh van der Flier to score int the corner.
Byrne converted from close to the right touchline, then repeated the feat from the far side seven minutes later when Sheehan crashed over, the signal for the front row to be replaced.
Benetton practically emptied the bench and produced a consolation try through one of their replacements, Alfredi Albanese.
Leinster scored a sixth try nine minutes from time, after Luke McGrath sniped his way over to bring up the 40 points mark. LEINSTER: J O’Brien (C Foley, 67), J Larmour, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, D Kearney (C Ngatai, 59), C Frawley (R Byrne, 46), L McGrath; A Porter (E Byrne, 56), D Sheehan (R Kelleher, 56), M Ala’alatoa (C Healy, 56), J Jenkins, R Molony, R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris (W Connors, 5) (J McCarthy). BENETTON: I Mendy, M Bellini, J Riera, M Zanon (T Menoncello, 56), O Ratave, G Da Re (Ratuva Tavuyara, 70), S Hidalgo-Clyne (M Albanese, 56); I Nemer (F Zani, 56), G Nicotera (G Lucchesi, 56), S Ferrari (F Alongi, 56) N Cannone, S Scrafton (C Wegner, 56), G Pettinelli (H Time-Stowers 5 mins), M Lamaro , T Halafihi.
REFEREE: Jaco Peyper (SARU)