Blues move clear as Lowe lights up RDS
LEINSTER moved three points clear of Scarlets at the top of the Pro14 Conference B after beating the Welsh side 20-13 at the RDS.
Johnny McNicholl’s sixth-minute try shot Scarlets ahead but Leinster made the most of their opportunities, as man-of-thematch James Lowe’s brace of unconverted tries made it 10-7 at the break.
Lowe turned provider for Luke McGrath’s try after the restart.
Leinster’s 20-year-old debutant Ciaran Frawley kicked the conversion and a 69th minute penalty, but two place-kicks from Dan Jones earned Scarlets a hardearned losing bonus point.
Both sides were looking to bounce back from away defeats last week, and Lowe was the game’s most prominent figure early on, pouching a McGrath kick and twice gaining good ground with carries, before Tadhg Beirne and Murphy exchanged ruck penalties.
Scarlets opened the scoring when James Davies freed-up fullback McNicholl to go over in the left corner.
Leinster used their maul to very good effect in response, creating space for Noel Reid’s looping pass to send Lowe over in the corner, cutting the gap to 7-5.
Ross Byrne’s conversion attempt came hit the post, before Leinster, who introduced Frawley for injured Rory O’Loughlin, were able to absorb further pressure, with Scott Fardy and Lowe growing in influence.
Fardy stole a mistimed Scarlets lineout and popped up soon after to charge down Jonathan Evans’ attempted clearance, quick ball allowing Lowe to finish out wide.
Just a minute into the second period, Lowe used a kick return to ride a tackle from Corey Baldwin and pass to McGrath for a quickfire try, converted by Frawley.
Leinster squeezed Scarlets for territory until a high tackle from Ross Byrne allowed his opposite number Jones to make it a sevenpoint game, although a penalty from openside Davies allowed Frawley to restore the 10-point elad with as many minutes remaining.
In the closing stages Scarlets twice won kickable penalties, Jones pulling the first wide but successful with the latter.