MAGNERS LEAGUE: Leinster 34 Ulster 26:THE FEELING lurked that Leinster would be revived and refreshed by seven changes to their starting team which had been put through the physical wringer by Leicester a week before.
Likewise, that Ulster might be going to the well once too often by starting a dozen of the team that had fronted up in Milton Keynes just six days beforehand, and all the mental and physical demands that go with a Heineken Cup quarter-final. And so it proved.
While Leinster were full of positive energy from the off, Ulster looked flat and drained. The spirit was willing, but there were lapses in concentration, defence and physicality on contact.
Given the quality of the seven players called up, Leinster’s levels of intensity and skill were no surprise.
Shane Jennings was always likely to bring his wily skills in contact and defence into play after a two-month absence, Isaac Boss was always likely to revel in a game against his old team, and, predictably too, Fergus McFadden and Eoin O’Malley were a whirl of running and energy in the centre.
None of Ulster’s World Cup wannabees emerged with credit and, indeed, all were eclipsed in the one-on-ones. Tellingly perhaps, Ulster’s best player was one of their three changes, Craig Gilroy. The prolific 20-year-old Dungannon winger, scorer of the first try at the Aviva, nimbly scored his eighth try of a remarkable rookie campaign, which was fair reward for his busy-as-a-beaver performance.
Significantly too, only when Brian McLaughlin began emptying his bench were Ulster energised, but even their comeback has to be put in the context of Joe Schmidt emptying his bench from the 48th minute – shortly after Leinster had taken a 34-12 lead.
On a perfect night, despite a typically laissez-faire French approach by Pascal Gauzere with regard to minor incidentals like players going off their feet or the hindmost foot offside line, the game flowed, thanks in the main to the seamless way the seven recalled players fitted into the Leinster rhythm.
Granted, Leinster’s scrum provided little in the way of useful possession and also cost them nine points in the first half. But to then manufacture the quickest bonus point of this season’s Magners League only serves to highlight the quality of their running game.
Retaining an excellent attacking shape as well as patience, everyone looked comfortable on the ball. Two of their tries originated from Boss evidently changing planned moves as the intended first receiver was about to get ball and man. Pulling the strings, Jonathan Sexton’s kicking game was well conceived and accurate.
Though more often opposing Shane Horgan, Andrew Trimble was targeted as Leinster constantly kicked to give themselves a 50-50 chance of regaining possession and, such was the hunger of the chase, more often than not succeeded. Ulster were afforded only three lineouts, and three scrums, all night.
In truth, an eight-point margin flattered Ulster. They also looked tired and cranky. How else to explain Pedrie Wannenburg tackling Luke Fitzgerald without the ball for his yellow card, or to explain Ruan Pienaar, a pleasant, polite man off the pitch and generally a classy act in everything he does on it, demanding a sinbinning for Jamie Heaslip by gesticulating with an imaginary yellow card?
Likewise, though, Leo Cullen slapping Rory Best hard on the back after a penalty award to Leinster, to which Best did not take kindly. No need for it.
Ulster had the numbers defensively for both of Leinster’s first two tries, but were way too narrow for the first and left a gaping hole for the second. Poor Adam D’Arcy seemed to be continually in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Admittedly he did collide with Fitzgerald when he failed to gather Sexton’s deft cross kick and Eoin O’Malley was on hand to cleverly pop the ball to Richardt Strauss.
He was then drawn to the ball and Sexton, leaving the hole for Isa Nacewa to sprint through and put Fitzgerald over. He was also the player who Horgan ploughed through for Leinster’s third try and then chipped for their fifth.
It’s rare that a winger makes off with the man of the match bubbly, but this was no populist, home-town decision, for the Leinster warrior’s influence on the match was profound.
Leinster’s first two tries originated in Horgan’s ability and agility in the air, with a little help from his hard-working centres, while a classic combination of pack power and width, with the help of McFadden’s skip pass, laid the platform for the first of his two tries.
The home forwards also availed of Wannenburg’s absence by driving over remorselessly for the fourth try.
Their fifth, after five phases and multiple passes and carries (including Horgan’s take around shin height of a Jamie Heaslip offload) was the pick of the night, containing as it did his own deft if perhaps not entirely intentional chin-high chip to himself.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 2 mins Strauss try 5-0; 7: Humphreys pen 5-3; 8: Fitzgerald try 10-3; 13: Horgan try, Sexton con 17-3; 21: Humphreys pen 17-6; 27: Humphreys pen 17-9; 33: Sexton pen 20-9; 37: van der Meuwe try, Sexton con 27-9; 40: Pienaar pen 27-12; (half-time 27-12); 44: Horgan try, Sexton con 34-12; 54: Wannenburg try, Pienaar con 34-19; 75: Gilroy try, Pienaar con 34-26.
LEINSTER: I Nacewa; S Horgan, E O'Malley, F McFadden, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, S Wright, L Cullen (capt), D Toner, K McLaughlin, S Jennings, J Heaslip. Replacements: N Hines for Cullen, S O'Brien for McLaughlin (both 48 mins), I Madigan for Sexton, D Kearney for Nacewa (both 50 mins), J Harris-Wright for Strauss, M Ross for Wright (both 55 mins), C Healy for Jennings (76 mins). Not used: E Reddan. Sinbinned: O'Brien (55-65 mins).
ULSTER:A D'Arcy; A Trimble, N Spence, P Wallace, C Gilroy; I Humphreys, R Pienaar; P McAllister, R Best (capt), BJ Botha, T Barker, D Tuohy, R Diack, C Henry, P Wannenburg. Replacements: J Cronin for Botha (33 mins), W Faloon for Diack, D Cave for Spence (both 50 mins), B Young for McAllister, N McComb for Barker (both 61 mins), C Gaston for D'Arcy (66 mins), P Marshall for Humphreys (72 mins), A Kyriacou for Best (76 mins). Sinbinned: Wannenburg (35-45 mins).
Referee: Pascal Gauzere (FFR).
