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BKT United Rugby Championship
Rob Cole reports
LEINSTER CAME UNSTUCK in the wind and the rain in the Welsh capital as they slipped to their fourth defeat of the season in the BKT United Rugby Championship, yet still remain in second place in the race to retain their title.
The foul weather made it difficult for either side to keep the ball in hand, especially in the rain lashed opening 40 minutes, and it turned into a right old slug-fest in the middle of the field.
What Leinster found was that the Cardiff defensive line was almost water-tight and their pack were in the mood for a rumble. There was bust up for the kick off, Harry Byrne lasted only three minutes and then his replacement, Charlie Tector, picked up a yellow card for a needless late hit on Ben Thomas.
If it was a start from Leo Cullen’s boys there were mitigating circumstances. The wind and pouring rain were driving into their faces.
Poor old Robbie Henshaw, back in action for the first time since mid January, must have wished he had delayed his return a week or so. It really was that miserable.
Cardiff got their first chance to exert some pressure following Tector’s departure with a kick into the left corner. Fortunately for Leinster the home lineout malfunctioned and the chance was lost.
The home side did, however, take the lead midway through the first half when Callum Sheedy kicked a simple penalty for offside in the Leinster 22.
He got another chance to shoot for the posts five minutes later, but instead turned down the chance of a guaranteed three points to kick to the same corner. This time the line out worked, but John McKee forced Dan Thomas into a mistake with the line five metres away.
Leinster got little or no change out of the home pack or defence and three minutes before the break, after just seeing his scrum shunted backwards, Leo Cullen decided enough was enough. He changed the whole front row and also threw RG Snyman into the fray.
The next scrum ended in a penalty to Leinster but half ended with Cardiff leading 3-0. The weather improved in the second half and the rain finally stopped, but Cardiff’s grip on proceedings didn’t loosen.
They increased their lead in the 54th minutes with a beautiful move down the left touch lien. Cam Winnett caught the ball, Mason Grady carried on over half way and into the 22 and his inside pass found the supporting back row man Dan Thomas.
With the Leinster defence split asunder it merely took one more inside pass to scrum half Aled Davies to let him celebrate his first try for the club. That put them two scores clear and on the road to a notable victory.
Leinster did finally manage to get on the broad with a try from replacement scrum half Luke McGrath in the 68th minute, which Tector improved, but in the end it was too little, too late to save their 11match unbeaten run.
Scorers:
Cardiff: Try: Davies (54); Pen: Sheedy (19).
Leinster: Try: McGrath (68); Con: Tector (69)
Cardiff Rugby: C Winnett; J Beetham, H Millard, B Thomas, M Grady; C Sheedy (I Lloyd72), A Davies (J Mulder 67); R Barratt, (D Southworth 57) L Belcher (captain, D Hughes 62), J Sebastian (K Assiratti 62), J McNally, G Nott (R Thornton 69), A Lawrence, D Thomas, T Basham
YC: J Beetham (66)
Reps Unused: E Rees, T Bowen
Leinster: J O’Brien; J Kenny (A Osborne 57), R Ioane, R Henshaw, R Moloney; H Byrne (C Tector 3), F Gunne (L McGrath 52); J Cahir (G McCarthy 37), J McKee (A Usanov 37-75), A Sparrow (R Slimani 37), A Spicer (RG Snyman 37), B Deeny, M Deegan (captain), S Penny, J Culhane
YC: C Tector (13)
Rep Unused: J Ericson
Referee: San Grove-White (Scotland)
Written by The 42 and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
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