Fitzgerald's renaissance a bonus amid bonuses for Leinster

Pool Five Leinster 33 Scarlets 14:The roar on 61 minutes signalled Brian O'Driscoll's arrival but the standing ovation that followed was Luke Fitzgerald's alone.

It’s funny how quickly a sportsman, even one seemingly destined for greatness, can be forgotten. Since April, Fitzgerald had disappeared from the mind’s eye. Occasionally his name would be mentioned, a throwaway question to coaches about his rehab that would elicit an uncertain response. Nearly . . . soon . . . maybe next week. Answers shrouded in doubt.

For a time he seemed destined for sporting tragic on a par with Bo Jackson – the brilliant LA Raiders running back snatched by a career-ending injury in his prime.

Would that be the story of Luke (without the lucrative Nike endorsement or double life as a home run machine)? The brightest of stars that soared before fading into the darkness? But Luke knew.

On the evidence of Saturday night he never gave up. A long and lonely road back from neck surgery is finally complete. And don’t forget the ruptured knee ligaments just five months after playing on the wing for the 2009 Lions.

Add in the withdrawal of an IRFU national contract in December 2011 and it has been a wretched, cursed even, mid-career crisis.

But on his first outing in Dublin for eight months we realised this enormous talent has not been idle. There was the usual bamboozling side-step, excellent high fielding and a nicely finished try – with credit going to a one-handed Cian Healy offload and link play by Devin Toner – but new weapons have been added to his arsenal.

There were glimpses of an improved passing range, which supports Joe Schmidt’s previous idea that his future could be as an inside centre.

Anyway, he’s back – not even a whip-lashing hit by Tongan flanker Sione Timani could subdue his enthusiasm to contribute.

It was the most captivating subplot in an otherwise routine Leinster flogging of the terribly poor Scarlets.

There were other stories from Saturday night, like the latest example of a Welsh side being some distance off the standard set by their national side.

Prompted question

It prompted a question for Scarlets coach, the 65-times capped Ireland flanker Simon Easterby: for all the talk of respecting this competition, doesn’t holding Welsh and Lions hooker Matthew Rees and centre Jonathan Davies in reserve indicate otherwise?

“We had a Welsh hooker starting the game,” Easterby responded with reference to Ken Owens (11 caps versus Rees’ 60). “We had a limited squad to choose from [due to injury]. It is what it is.” It certainly is.

Schmidt also felt the need to manage O’Driscoll and maybe he should have left him on ice altogether. Damage to his right ankle – November’s surgery was on the left – caused a ripple of concern on an otherwise comfortable night.

Typically, O’Driscoll refused to leave the field but it felt like the Ireland captain should be protected from himself. Leinster could have played the last few minutes with 14 players.

But O’Driscoll knows best. Dismissing the medics, he slipped to inside centre before dragging the entire Scarlets midfield with him on a perfect decoy run that allowed Ian Madigan scurry over for what may yet prove a valuable fifth try.

Other tales from the night? Jamie Heaslip and Healy are nearing peak form three weeks out from the Six Nations opener in Cardiff. Healy’s try-scoring impact and 12 carries prompted Schmidt to pull him at half-time.

Schmidt also felt the need to namecheck Rhys Ruddock’s industry afterwards, making a rare start after Seán O’Brien’s 11th-hour withdrawal due to illness.

To the details. Leinster’s intent to gather the maximum 10 points over their two final pool games was instantly noticeable. Smelling the blood of their opponents in the opening collisions, Jonathan Sexton and Leo Cullen over-ruled the pre-match game plan, instead lunging directly for the jugular.

Tramline

Ignoring three semi-difficult shots at goal, Sexton went down the tramline as Cullen’s lineout-maul did the rest. Within 23 minutes they had two of the four tries as Shane Jennings’ effort mirrored Healy’s earlier touchdown, both men peeling off the ruck and battering over.

Fitzgerald dived in at the corner for the third try on 34 minutes but Scarlets outhalf Aled Brew did expose a numerical advantage – Fergus McFadden was receiving treatment – by foot-passing to Liam Williams, in space out wide, for a try on half-time.

That proved the zenith of the visitors’ resistance.

The second half belonged to Leinster. Rob Kearney stepped against the grain, spinning out of two shockingly poor tackles to flop under the posts after 43 minutes.

Despite securing the bonus point, they kept pouring forward but the glut of tries did not follow. This could prove significant or mightn’t matter at all. Either way, Leinster remain on course for a 20-point finish.

But this outing should be savoured for the return of a special player, poised to enter his prime a fit man.

Luke knew alright.