Leinster well beaten by rampant Glasgow in opening URC game

Glasgow 43 Leinster 25

It was a disappointing start to the new United Rugby Championship season for Leinster as they suffered an 18-point defeat to a rampant Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium on Sunday.

Despite Jack Boyle and Lee Barron bagging their maiden tries in professional club rugby, the eastern province – who finished with 13 players after Jordan Larmour and Brian Deeny were yellow carded late on – came off second best to a Glasgow side that welcomed back seven players from Scotland’s Rugby World Cup squad.

After much persistence, the hosts squeezed in front when Rory Darge released fullback Josh McKay for a converted try with just under 13 minutes gone on the clock.

Leinster subsequently settled with a brace of successful penalties by outhalf Harry Byrne, only for the hosts to once again breach their line when winger Sebastian Cancelliere finished in the right corner via a Gregor Brown offload.

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Leinster edged into the ascendancy on 29 minutes courtesy of Boyle’s try from a five-metre drive on his first start in the professional game, but their lead proved to be short-lived. Huw Jones and Angus Fraser crossed the whitewash in quick succession to ensure Glasgow brought a 24-13 cushion into the break.

Although Franco Smith’s side were already assured of a bonus point, their victory was far from secure. In fact, Leinster were very much back in contention when Barron – a replacement for the injured John McKee in the first half – broke off an attacking maul to touch down in clinical style.

All the momentum appeared to be with the visiting team when Cancelliere was sinbinned in the 49th-minute, but Glasgow had other ideas. On his 100th appearance for Warriors, George Horne sprinted over on the right flank moments after being added to the mix as a replacement.

Whereas Cancelliere’s opening period try had been awarded following a long consultation between referee Craig Evans and TMO Sean Brickell, Leinster centre Liam Turner was ruled to have had his foot in touch before dotting down from a Ciaran Frawley pass just shy of the third-quarter mark.

Yet Tommy O’Brien had greater luck from a TMO referral with eight minutes remaining as he was adjudged to have grounded off a Sam Prendergast pass out wide. Prendergast had been introduced along with debutants Paddy McCarthy (younger brother of Irish senior lock Joe) and Rory McGuire, but Glasgow ultimately claimed maximum points when Johnny Matthews’ maul score was followed up by a penalty try in the closing moments.

Scorers – Glasgow Warriors: G Horne try, con, J McKay, S Cancelliere, H Jones, A Fraser, J Matthews try each, Penalty try and con, T Jordan 2 cons. Leinster: J Boyle, L Barron, T O’Brien try each, H Byrne 2 pens, 2 cons.

GLASGOW WARRIORS: J McKay; S Cancelliere, H Jones, S McDowall, K Steyn; T Jordan, J Dobie; O Kebble, A Fraser, Z Fagerson; G Peterson, S Cummings, G Brown, R Darge, H Venter.

Replacements: J Matthews for Fraser, N McBeth for Kebble, G Horne for Steyn, A Miller for Venter, all 52 mins; L Sordoni for Fagerson, 59 mins; T Gordon for Brown, 64 mins; A Samuel for Cummings, D Weir for Jordan, both 76 mins.

LEINSTER: C Frawley; T O’Brien, L Turner, C Ngatai, J Larmour; H Byrne, L McGrath; J Boyle, J McKee, T Clarkson; R Molony, J Jenkins; M Deegan, S Penny, J Culhane.

Replacements: L Barron for McKee, 26 mins; P McCarthy for Boyle, R McGuire for Clarkson, B Deeny for Jenkins, R Ruddock for Culhane, C Foley for McGrath, all 51 mins; S Prendergast for Turner, 67 mins; W Connors for Penny, 74 mins.

Referee: C Evans (WRU).