Marching on: Leinster
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Leinster took another step towards reclaiming their Heineken Cup crown on Saturday as they crushed Cardiff Blues 34-3 in a one-sided fixture.
It was a performance of champions from last year's winners, with their first-half blitz shell-shocking the Welsh region at the home of Irish rugby. They must now wait to see whether they will go to Twickenham or Bordeaux in the semis.
The early sparring saw Leinster enjoy much of the early dominance at scrum-time as they worked over their Welsh opponents, in particular the front-row. That was the platform they used to race into a healthy lead that saw them go in at half-time 27-3 up. A Cardiff comeback looked impossible.
Isa Nacewa, Rob Kearney and Brian O'Driscoll scored the tries in the first 40 minutes, with the latter's effort set to be a nominee for try of the year.
Cardiff Blues were struggling for any pattern, possession and more importantly territory as Leigh Halfpenny's penalty was all they had put on the board. That kick from distance brought false hope for the Blues, who were missing injured duo Sam Warburton and Jamie Roberts.
Their first try took just twelve minutes to arrive when Jonathan Sexton glided into space inside the Blues half and then fed Kearney who straightened well before pushing the ball out to wing Nacewa. Sexton's conversion was the start of the reigning champions' surge.
With the score 10-3, Leinster were keen to add to their advantage and did just that when Eoin Reddan's scamper up the middle of the field led to full-back Kearney cruising over.
Three minutes later and it was the turn of O'Driscoll in what was a special try in front of the supporters at Aviva Stadium. A beautiful no-look pass from Sexton off quick line-out ball put Luke Fitzgerald through a gap and with O'Driscoll on his shoulder, it was a simple run-in.
Floodgates well-and-truly open one would think with not even 35 minutes on the clock.
Leinster did start the second-half the same way they finished the first and were over for their fourth try on 46 minutes when O'Driscoll's inside pass allowed Kearney to get his brace. The rugby was another level up from the national side who had recently played at the venue.
The procession would not continue for Joe Schmidt's side though as greater resolve from the Blues saw them keep Leinster from scoring in the final 33 minutes. In fact, they thought they had scored themselves when veteran openside flanker Martyn Williams went over on the hour mar, but the Television Match Official ruled he had failed to ground the ball.
The quarter-final was long gone in truth as Leinster replaced the likes of short-term signing Brad Thorn and O'Driscoll and cruised into a last four clash with Saracens or Clermont.
The scorers:
For Leinster:
Tries: Nacewa, Kearney 2, O'Driscoll
Con: Sexton 4
Pen: Sexton 2
For Cardiff Blues:
Pen: Halfpenny
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Isa Nacewa, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Leo Cullen (capt), 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Heinke van der Merwe, 18 Nathan White, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Shane Jennings, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Fergus McFadden.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Dafydd Hewitt, 11 Tom James, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Xavier Rush (capt), 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Michael Paterson, 5 James Down, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Scott Andrews, 2 Marc Breeze, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 John Yapp, 18 Sam Hobbs, 19 Macauley Cook, 20 Maama Molitika, 21 Richie Rees, 22 Ceri Sweeney, 23 Gavin Evans.
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gauzere (France), David Changleng (Scotland)
Comments
crunchfit says...
@makemehappy
Never saw this. You waited some time to response. Yes, guess we'll just have to disagree then. Must have been watching different games. Not sure what match I was watching whilst responding to you.
Posted 15:46 01st May 2012
makemehappy says...
@crunchfit - sorry you were watching a different game. Clearly it was Andrews under pressure, and also the form book confirms this. You really need to watch Jenkins play more to know why the scrum dropped - if it happens on his side, you can guarantee his opponent is boring in! I've seen it hundreds of times!
I can't believe you are suggesting the Blues got away with lots of other penalties. That just isn't true I'm afraid. I watched the game too again too after your comments, and its just not true.
I think things are as black and white as I've stated. So we'll agree to disagree.
Posted 17:11 15th April 2012
blametheref says...
@Thatllbflaccid
.................Yawn,zzzzzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZ!
Posted 10:42 13th April 2012
blametheref says...
@Thatllbme
Not disguising my sexuality, I'm male just for the record...so why are you urging me to "come out" on a rugby board?...Seems weird, which most posters here know you are anyway...Maybe you've got an ulterior agenda and other questionable motives for trolling and insulting everything Irish and Northeren Hemisphere...My God, come to think of it, maybe you could be stalking me, or worse, even grooming me!!!
Posted 09:58 12th April 2012
blametheref says...
Thatllbme: a cross frustrated solitary little red-eye crab trapped forever, seemingly, in his 3 foot diameter pond near the coast, his spindly little legs propelling him through the depths (8 inches) as he marches from side to side furiously wishing he was a big fish in his small pool...Then a limpet descends into this murky world; with his miniscule crustacen brain now obviously confused and his mating instinct unfulfilled, Thatllbme decides he'll "have a piece" of this dumb limpet and wastes no time in grabbing it with his little MacClaw, not realizing he has just been hooked!...As Thatllbmeasacrab is hauled to the surface he is speedily dispatched, broken into bait size pieces, hooked up and cast into the Irish Sea
Posted 10:04 11th April 2012
Kevin83 says...
Thatllbme
Very true, but there are two other countries in playing in the super 15 (sorry about the stupid 15 gag, that was very amatuer) and in the world cup one of them lost to Ireland and the other barely made it out of their pool.
In terms of club rugby, Whats the point in a scoreline or 58-42 in any game. which seems to be an average scoreline in S15 games
It proves nothing only that team can't/aren't bother defending.
3 years ago Leinster beat Harlequins 6-5 in the HC quarter. One of the best rugby matches I've ever seen.
International rugby and NZ being world champions is masking the fact that there are some very very average players in the S15. We have average players too, don't get me wrong.
Watch the semi-final between Leinster and Clermont. If you are disappointed I would be very surprised.
Posted 08:59 11th April 2012
APV1 says...
@ Thatllbme - not often you'll find me defending my Irish cousisn, but really..?! I do hope, for your sake more than anything else, that you're joking.
Not only is the North : South debate old and worthless, but true rugby fans appreciate rugby from where-ever it may be from. It could be watching your son (or daughter) play in the minis; or the RWC Final - they all offer a true fan something.
Your prowess (or lack there-of) with the opposite sex aside, you need to get over it and enjoy it.
Vive la difference!
Posted 17:06 10th April 2012
Kevin83 says...
Thatllbme
You're beloved SH teams in the STUPID 15 play in half empty stadiums.
I was in the AVIVA on saturday surrounded by 50000 people.
Fact is we player Rugby Union up here. They play glorified league and couldn't defend a try line if it was only the width of the posts.
I tell you what, The Stormers lead the STUPID 15 at the moment.
Send them this way so Leinster can send them back to the Southern Hemisphere with a right good spanking and a Lesson in rugby.
and BTW Brian O'Driscoll has scored 45 tries in 117 Ireland caps. Thats a try every 2.6 games so I don't know where you're getting you "once every ten games" nonsense. and it you want to talk leinster it 53 in 151 that a try every 2.8 games. Nice try mate.
Posted 16:31 10th April 2012
Thatllbewee says...
Of course I say all that below in a funny way because I am currently tasting my own poo.
Posted 16:19 10th April 2012
blametheref says...
@Thatllbme
Go to your bathroom mirror yet again, drop your pants, and have another good look...because what you see is more than likely the root cause of your "embarassing problem"...You can get correctional surgery these days which may help, albeit from a confidence point of view. But as regards your other niggling problem, I'm afraid they're still a few years away from carrying out brain transplants
Posted 15:43 10th April 2012
louis77 says...
@ thatllbme: just some light reading for ya clownboy!
tied 6th most international tries (only centre listed in the top 17 and 17 was mister Umaga who played on the wing at times)
Highest international centre try scorer by miles ( and ireland dont preform half as good as the southies)
Highest try scorer of all time for Ireland
Joint top try scorer H- Cup
I could go on but your a idiot and you get the picture, now go back to sleep there wee fella and stop disturbing people with your nonsence !
Posted 12:33 10th April 2012
crunchfit says...
@makemehappy
Jenkins was under pressure before Andrew went down or bore in on a few occasions, he was under nowhere near as much pressure. I think Jenkins 1st / 2nd choice for the Lions, just he wasn't up to it on this day and it wasn't all down to Andrews.
Maybe Blues should have got some more scrum penalties (then again, I think some more should have gone to Leinster), but they were let away with a lot in other areas, especially at the ruck and the offside line. That's what happens when Pearson is referee.
I've actually watched the match three times at this stage (twice by choice), including being at the actual match and was at the Wales match. I've seen a good bit and things are just not as black and white as you are saying.
Posted 13:44 09th April 2012
blametheref says...
@Bitathisnow
The reality about poor old pitiful pond-life,Thatllbme, is that he hates the Irish and most things Northern Hemisphere, so his usual tedium is to post something obtuse in the hope that someone might actually communicate with him...Psychologically, "trolling", like Thatllbme and numerous other unfortunates engage in on the Net, is a sure sign of someone who is lonely and not too hot with the opposite sex...
Posted 13:17 09th April 2012
Bitathisnow says...
@Thatllbme
Pretty arrogant comment about one of the best international centres of all time, you obviously have no understanding of the game, if you think that BOD would not even make a fourth choice NZ team (Lions captain,grand slam winner, numerous triple crowns, 2 time heinken cup winner)-maybe you should take note of comments made by All Blacks past and present who rate hime highly
Posted 11:08 09th April 2012
papachinzo says...
Fact is, Roberts and Warburton wouldn't have made much difference, Leinster's 2nd team destroyed them in December and again in January.
If it wasn't for poor refereeing, the scoreline would have been much greater.
Posted 09:39 09th April 2012
SpanishJack says...
How can a team with players so dominant in the International game be so outplayed when with their club. Come to think of it, this can be said of all Welsh clubs.
Posted 22:37 08th April 2012
makemehappy says...
@crunchfit - you are right who I am blaming. Jenkins was suffering from his opponent boring in. The problem was not on his side. Look at recent Wales v Ireland meetings, and if you'd seen the games (presumably you can't have) you'd know that you were wrong. If you were picking two all time great props, I'd go for Jenkins and Hayman. Many would. Such props don't have problems. Actually there were a few penalties that should have been given to the Blues in the scrum due to boring in and also upwards. Have another look at the game. I did, and they are clear. Andrews was just outclassed though, so that clearly was where the problems were.
Posted 20:20 08th April 2012
Paddy91317 says...
Leinster v clermont in a neutral 'ish' venue good game just hope it doesnt take too much out of the winner because ulster will be fresh after they sail past an edinburgh team who are more shocked to be in the semi than the bookies..... Leinster do seem to have an extra level to everyone else though lets just hope they can put in two more big performances
Posted 19:40 08th April 2012
trelawney says...
Unlucky Leinster, you will be on the road to France as, at this moment Sarries are being thrashed by Clermont. Good to see BOD back in uniform and showing more than his old skills.
Posted 17:56 08th April 2012
crunchfit says...
Wouldn't take too much from this performance. Leinster: at home, full strength team, stable environment. Cardiff: away, weakened by injuries, players leaving the region, less stable environment. Leinster do look up for it though and they do seem to be able to switch it on just for HC matches.
Kearney's certainly one up for the Lions jersey.
@makemehappy
Think you're putting a bit much blame on the referee and Andrews... Andrews was pretty bad, but Jenkins was being pushed backwards before Andrews was under pressure. He went down himself once or twice and he was turning in on a few occasions. Pearse is a terrible referee, inconsistent, weak and he's not particularly observant, but a lot of decisions went in favour of Cardiff. Leinster were certainly not as favoured as you make them out to be.
Posted 17:55 08th April 2012