Leinster edge out Glasgow Warriors to defend PRO14 title

David Skippers
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Leinster's Sean O'Brien lifts the Guinness Pro 14 trophy as the rest of the Leinster squad celebrate after defeating Glasgow during the Guinness PRO14 Final at Celtic Park, Glasgow.

Leinster successfully defended their PRO14 title courtesy of a hard-earned 18-15 triumph over Glasgow Warriors at Celtic Park on Saturday. 

In a tough and uncompromising encounter, the teams went hammer and tongs at each other from the outset in a bid to secure victory but Leinster got the rub of the green in the end as they held a slight edge throughout.

Both sides scored two tries apiece with Garry Ringrose and Cian Healy crossing the whitewash for the champions with Matt Fagerson and Grant Stewart dotting down for Glasgow.

Leinster’s other points came via two penalties and a conversion from Johnny Sexton and Adam Hastings succeeded with a conversion and a penalty for the Warriors.

Glasgow drew first blood in the 14th minute when a Leinster lineout, inside their 22, went awry. Jonny Gray did well to poach the ball at the set-piece and after setting up a few phases inside the visitors’ red zone, Glasgow reaped reward when Fagerson barged over from close range for the game’s opening try.

Leinster needed a response and that was immediate as from the restart Luke McGrath charged down an attempted clearance from Stuart Hogg and Ringrose dived onto the loose ball behind Glasgow’s try-line.

Sexton’s conversion attempt was off target which meant the Warriors were leading 7-5, after Hastings succeeded with his one before that, and they extended that lead when the Scotland fly-half landed a penalty in the 23rd minute.

Three minutes later, Glasgow were dealt a major blow, however, when they lost the services of their hooker, Fraser Brown, to what looked like a serious ankle injury.

Shortly afterwards, the Warriors suffered another setback when Healy burrowed his way over the try-line for the Irish province’s second try – Sexton adding the extras – meaning Leinster were now leading for the first time, with the score 12-10 in their favour.

And in the 36th minute, the Ireland pivot slotted a penalty which meant Leinster held a slight edge, with a five-point lead, at half-time.

The second half was a more cautious affair, although Leinster received a shot in the arm in the 49th minute when Glasgow were reduced to 14 men when Kyle Steyn was yellow carded for a cynical defensive foul deep inside his half.

His spell on the sidelines did not prove too costly for the Warriors as another Sexton penalty were the only points which Leinster would score during that period.

The next 15 minutes was a tight affair with play restricted mostly to the forwards but, although Leinster held the upper-hand during that period, they too were reduced to 14 men in the 66th minute when Rob Kearney was sent to the sin-bin for a dangerous aerial challenge on Hogg.

With a one-man advantage, Glasgow upped the ante on attack and they were rewarded in the 75th minute when Stewart gathered a pass from Steyn before crossing in the right-hand corner.

Hastings was off target with the conversion attempt and, although the Warriors tried desperately to overhaul their opponents in the game’s dying moments, it was not to be as Leinster held on to secure victory.

The scorers:

For Glasgow Warriors:
Tries: M Fagerson, Stewart
Con: Hastings
Pen: Hastings
Yellow Card: Steyn

For Leinster:
Tries: Ringrose, Healy
Con: Sexton
Pens: Sexton 2
Yellow Card: Kearney

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Kyle Steyn, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ali Price, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Callum Gibbins (c), 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Jamie Bhatti
Replacements: 16 Grant Stewart, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Siua Halnukonuka, 19 Ryan Wilson, 20 Tom Gordon, 21 George Horne, 22 Pete Horne, 23 Huw Jones

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Johnny Sexton (c), 9 Luke McGrath, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Rhys Ruddock, 5 James Ryan, 4 Scott Fardy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Seán Cronin, 1 Cian Healy
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Ed Byrne, 18 Andrew Porter, 19 Ross Molony, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Nick McCarthy, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Rory O’Loughlin

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Mike Adamson (Scotland)
TMO: Ian Davies (Wales)

Glasgow Warriors