YOUNG’S DISMAY AT CARDIFF SHOW
DAI Young expressed his dismay after a youthful Leinster team maintained their United Rugby Championship table-topping form with a 38-14 win over his Cardiff side at the RDS.
Luke McGrath scored two tries in a 10-minute spell, adding to Max Deegan’s opener, as Leo Cullen’s much-changed side led 19-0 at halftime.
Cardiff struggled to get going in greasy conditions. They had two late scores from replacements Rory Thornton and Kristian Dacey, but found themselves outclassed.
It prompted director of rugby Young to say: “We have got to be better than that, we played against a quality team, but we just made it a lot easier for them.
“We got taught a lesson with basic skills, theirs were so much better than ours.
“It was a very similar story last weekend against Brive, the first 25 minutes were exactly the same.
“We are just giving teams the possession inside our 22 and they are going to end up scoring.
“We showed a bit at the end to come back, but I don’t think we can tap ourselves on the back, I am hugely disappointed.”
Outside of Test rugby, Leinster are undoubtedly the best side in the northern hemisphere and are unbeaten this season for a reason.
But even so, this was a poor show from the Welsh club.
In the build-up to this clash, Young insisted his side had a chance as long as they stuck to their blueprint, but they failed to fire many shots at all in the Irish capital as they were taken to the cleaners in all aspects of the game.
Yes, they were without their Wales contingent but Leinster were also missing almost their entire front-line starting XV. Leinster were significantly better than their visitors with their physicality, and the speed of their ruck ball made it almost impossible for Cardiff to live with them.
It took Leinster a mere seven minutes to open the scoring with Max Deegan smashing Jarrod Evans out of the way to claim the game’s first try.
Next a powerful carry from Deegan, who offloaded to Liam Turner, put them on the front foot before Rhys Ruddock charged forward.
Cardiff resisted the first surge but Leinster took a quick tap-penalty with Luke McGrath sliding over from close range with Harry Byrne adding the extras.
Leinster were in total control and continued to lay siege to the Cardiff line with Ruddock and Deegan, in particular, punching holes through their defence.
With the conditions making it tough, Cardiff’s defence tired with McGrath spotting a hole to race over from 25 metres out for his second try. Byrne converted but Leinster were desperate to claim the bonus point before the interval.
They continued to apply pressure on the Cardiff line and it looked almost certain they would extend their lead, but a huge hit from Lopeti Timani kept them at bay, meaning the Irish club held a 19-0 lead at the interval.
Leinster enjoyed 83 per cent possession during the first half and forced Cardiff into making 103 tackles in comparison to their 15.
To turn this game around, Cardiff knew they’d have to overturn those most worrying of statistics. But they made a disappointing start to the second half with impressive Leinster centre Turner making a 50-metre break.
He was eventually hauled down, but it was a warning of things to come.
As if things couldn’t get any worse, Jason Harries was sent to the sin-bin for intentionally slapping McGrath’s pass forward.
The hosts made the most of their numerical advantage with Brian Deeny showing tremendous leg drive to power over from close range to secure the bonus-point try for Leinster.
Byrne added the extras but Leinster weren’t prepared to take their foot off the gas.
Leinster’s all-round game was a sight to behold with their physicality and ability to pass the ball from the point of contact very difficult to defend against.
Cardiff conceded their fifth try after some wonderful handling allowed Max O’Reilly to cross over at the corner.
The visitors did claim a consolation try when replacement Thornton charged over courtesy of a wellworked driving line-out.
Dacey touched down for Cardiff’s second try after a period of sustained pressure, but Leinster centre Turner rubbed further salt into the Welsh club’s wounds with the home side’s sixth try.