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
melkdave says...
Leinster certinally look good even if it was against a faltering Blues who seem to be in meltdown atm.Also have to agree that Saracens and Clermont are both class outfits atm and Leinster will need to improve to get by them.One thing i think we can all agree on,is that it will be another hard match
Posted 15:54 08th April 2012
cwmgarw says...
What is wrong with the Welsh regions? They are ludicrously bad and must be scrapped in favor of a system where spectators might want to watch and players want to play. At present they are a useless shell existing only to provide salaries for those who play for Wales and who are moving away to France anyway. Of all possible systems this is the worst.
Posted 15:13 08th April 2012
makemehappy says...
@pantreac - I think you'll find Jenkins collapses the scrum when the other prop turns in. I thought that was pretty well known in rugby circles. He's a damn fine scrummager - British Lion I seem to remember!! The problem with the Blues scrum was that Andrews was (and is generally) useless. I certainly agree the ref had a bad game, but surely he penlised the Blues (often when recycling the ball) off the park! Leinster had more than their fair share of very favourable refereeing decisions, without a shadow of a doubt. I wouldn't get too excited by the second row contributions to the scrum. Clearly Andrews was the problem - end of story.
Posted 13:11 08th April 2012
pantreac says...
Can you imagine what the score might have been if the match had been refereed fairly? Owen gave almost every scrum put in to the Blues even though Leinster had moved the maul sometimes as much as 20 metres forward and the maul had turned into a ruck! His reffing of the offside law and not down the middle in the line out was criminal. I have always said that Jenkins collapses the scum on any put-in when he is under pressure, the same with Adam Jones but Owen allowed him away with murder. The Leinster scrum went well again and when you consider that with 'real' sec rows they gave no ground and managed to push cardiff off the ball we must question Kidneys selection of Ryan and O'Gallaghan in front of Cullen and Toner. Last weeks sin binning of Ross was a cop-out by Owen when it was Horan why was responsible for the collapsing, sums this man's refereering up!
Posted 12:10 08th April 2012
damo says...
Well played BOD and the boys especially Kearney, Luke Fitz, Nacewa, $exy and BOD in the back line and all the forwards for a dominating display!!!
Posted 11:46 08th April 2012
blametheref says...
Though the Blues were depleted as a team, Leinster had them beaten in the first 30 minutes even with the Leinster line out misfiring, so there's work to do. The lighter than usual O' Driscoll gave a master class and showed why he's regarded by most of his peers as the best 13 to play on a rugby pitch, tackling, rucking, positional play, support play, running angles and timing of the very best quality, while scoring a beauty and responsible for two great "BOD" passes that made two more of the tries. If BOD was an All Black I'd say he'd be the world's highest Int try scorer. Not only this, but D'arcy, who had a very good game, plays much better and with more assurance when BOD is outside him...After the game you could see by the smile on Brad Thorn's face he realized he made one of the best moves of his long career, he fits in like a glove and he should earn his wages in the semi final when he and Cullen get their line out sorted...Then there's Sexton, an incredible 10 performance, playing flat as a pancake for most of the game (as against with Ireland where he plays too deep), and when he does go deep to take a ball he executes a side trick pass that was sublime...Kearney also shone and is showing a great consistancy, I can't remember his last bad game....For me, I hope Leinster get Saracens, a very very tough match in prospect, as I feel they won't cope with the Leinster backline and Twickenham won't present too many "away" nerves for most of these players. The semi final is tougher than the final in prospect and the HC winner is going to be either Clermont, Leinster or Saracens
Posted 11:20 08th April 2012
makemehappy says...
@leinster_goy - I think the Blues stopped themselves from scoring a try at one stage!!
@NHsaints - the tight 5 I'd be worried about belong to Clermont. Leinster played some lovely stuff today, but the Blues have only 1 prop of any worth. If the scrum dominance had been reversed, that would have been a tight game, which suggests that Leinster aren't home and dry as winners yet.
Another woeful refereeing display on show. Several attacking penalties against the Blues, and a ref who clearly favoured the home team. Blues pull someone down in the line out - penalty. Next line out Leinster pull someone down much more clearly - no penalty. Cardiff slow the ball down in their 22 - yellow card. Leinster do so several times in the second half - no yellow card.
Clearly Leinster were the better team, but come on referees, don't cheat! Consistency please!!!
Posted 09:00 08th April 2012
Celtictenor says...
Very well played Leinster, but it also showed yet again our perennial Welsh problem at all levels - no back-up strength in depth
Posted 06:40 08th April 2012
jtimkins says...
@yelloj321
That is exactly what I've been hoping for for years and now, at last, I feel it might come through! Munster abu!
Posted 04:43 08th April 2012
Big_Kav says...
Really happy with the boys today, but more than just on the pitch. Compared with Ireland who talked themselves into a hammering before they even got on the plane to England, Leinster were quiet in the press and came across as aloof and assured because of it. I reckon Schmidt has a policy of banning players from individual press interviews such as Ferris' famous one before the England match where rightly or wrongly he was paraphrased as calling England cocky, which I'd imagine added fuel to that particular fire. Aside from a press conference with BOD, the only Leinster voice I heard in the press was Schmidt himself where he was careful to give Cardiff their due respect. During this week of the Henson circus, Leinster's detached professionalism was a relief and something Kidney should take note of. That and how to actually use these great players properly. Other than that, great game, thought Pearson had a decent game and after the disaster last week against Munster, I was happy to see our scrum ticking over nicely (hopefully Marcus Horan was watching!). Sexy's offload to Fitzy was a joy to behold.
Posted 03:44 08th April 2012
tombomb says...
yelloj321 yes it would
Posted 22:27 07th April 2012
yelloj321 says...
Can you imagine a Leinster v Munster final. It would be the most titanic club game to ever be played.
Posted 20:44 07th April 2012
Theshaw says...
Still worrie a lot if we play Clermount not scarcens!!
Posted 20:33 07th April 2012
NHsaints says...
Damn...although the blues aren't a very tough test without roberts and warburton you've got to say...Leinster are going to take some stopping...like last season it'll take something special to even dent their campaign and there's not much time left for it either...Saints came close to beating them last season in the final and that was with all the stoppers pulled out from a very good team and even then that just seemed to wake leinster into a ridiculous second half showing...my major concern is that the only tight 5 with much of a chance against Leinster left in the competition is that of the sarries...if they get knocked out then it'll be Leinsters' again...
Posted 19:58 07th April 2012
leinster_goy says...
very impressive indeed. not letting the blues score a try was also a real statement. they'll certainly need that defense in the semi-final, whoever they're facing...i'll be rooting for sarries tomorrow, that's for sure ;)
Posted 19:43 07th April 2012
munster13 says...
there good, jesus
Posted 19:31 07th April 2012