Llanelli Scarlets 7-32 Leinster
Leinster leapfrog Scarlets to second in Pool 6
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By Tom Powell. |  |
Saturday, 12, Dec 2009 07:29
By Tom Powell
Heineken Cup champions Leinster produced an emphatic display of attacking Rugby to record a comfortable 32-7 win over Llanelli Scarlets at the Parc y Scarlets.
The Irish side grabbed a bonus point in the process and go second in Pool 6 while the Scarlets drop to third.
Three tries in the first half from Shane Horgan, Gordon D'Arcy and Shaun Berne put the result beyond doubt with Leinster leading 22-0 at the break.
The Scarlets threatened a comeback early in the second but a fourth Leinster try put the game beyond doubt.
The Scarlets had Stephen Jones back at fly-half but were missing six regulars through injury as well as having Ross Turnbull banned after being cited for a dangerous tackle last weekend.
Leinster picked Berne at fly-half and CJ Van Der Linde was in at prop but Jonathan Sexton and Luke Fitzgerald missed out with injuries.
The champions made a flying start to the match and led 7-0 with just five minutes gone.
Shane Horgan collecting a long pass on half way and leaving the Scarlets defence in his wake as he raced to the try line.
Berne added the extras and the early signs were ominous for the home side.
The games was end-to-end with both sides eager to run the ball whenever possible but it was Leinster who stretched the lead on 20 minutes.
The Scarlets were penalised for using their hands in the ruck and Berne kicked his side into a 10-0 lead.
The home side looked lively going forward but were all over the place in defence as D'Arcy ran in Leinster's second of the evening.
The centre on the end of a well worked backs move and ghosting in under the posts to put more daylight between the sides. Berne's simple conversion took the score to 17-0.
Ten minutes before the break it looked all over as Leinster ran in their third score.
A quick lineout by Eoin Reddan and a swift backs move resulted in Berne touching down with the Scarlets defence nowhere to be seen.
It could have been worse for the Parc y Scarlets faithful as Jamie Heaslip twice went close to adding a fourth try.
Only a scrambling Scarlets defence and the referee's whistle prevented the number eight increasing Leinster's lead before the break.
Into the second half and the Scarlets were finally on the scoreboard as Jonathan Davies slid over to give his side hope.
Jones slotted the simple conversion and the home side trailed by 15 with 46 minutes gone.
The Scarlets flooded forward and had Leinster on the back foot, so much so that Nathan Hines needed to illegally slow the ball down which earned him ten minutes in the sin bin.
The advantage was wasted by the Scarlets as they too were reduced to 14 men after Sean Lamont went in dangerously on Isa Nacewa.
The resulting penalty sailed through the uprights to stretch Leinster's lead to 18.
The yellow card and three points took the wind out of the Scarlets sail as Leinster took control of the game once more.
With eight minutes remaining Leinster put the final nail in the Scarlets coffin and earned themselves a bonus point in the process.
Berne found a gap in the opposition defence before feeding Heaslip who gave it to Sean O'Brien to apply the finish.
The Scarlets pushed for a consolation try but Leinster were as impressive in defence as they were in attack and will now be odds on favourites to repeat this victory when the sides meet in Dublin next weekend.