Leinster 26-10 Agen:Brian O'Driscoll helped himself to a hat-trick of tries as Leinster beat Agen 26-10 to get their qualification bid for the Heineken Cup's knockout stages back on track.
O'Driscoll played the captain's role to a tee, leading his side to a victory which sees them leap to the top of the pool four standings.
Australian scrum-half Chris Whitaker also bagged his first Heineken Cup try on a night when failings in the scrum and goal-kicking departments threatened to scupper the hosts' chances of a much-needed win.
Agen's biggest threat, the Fijian winger Rupeni Caucaunibuca did burst his way over for a second-half try — only his second ever Heineken Cup score — but the French side never made full use of their forward power.
Leinster's scrum woes were there for all to see when they were forced to substitute their short-term signing Stan Wright, the Cook Islands prop who stepped into the breach with Will Green (neck) and Fosi Pala'amo (neck) out injured, at half-time.
But the experienced Reggie Corrigan, making his 128th appearance for the province, came on to steady the ship. Ronan McCormack also showed his versatility by switching to loosehead and going up against formidable former All Black Kees Meeuws.
Leinster will need to solidify their scrum before next weekend's return clash at the Stade Armandie, but with O'Driscoll running the show, they were always in control of the home leg.
It took just three minutes for the Agen line to be breached. Stephen Keogh bulldozed through and was held up short before Whitaker snapped on to ruck ball and dived over through a gap.
Without a recognised goal kicker — they will not see knee injury victim Felipe Contepomi back until the new year — Leinster struggled and although full-back Girvan Dempsey gamely stepped forward, his kicking was sub-standard, even allowing for the wintry conditions.
Leinster should have been further than 10-3 in front at the break — Dempsey missed three shots at goal in the opening half, but was not the only offender as O'Driscoll and Shane Horgan also failed to make use of overlaps.
O'Driscoll showed his class on the quarter-hour though, when he intercepted Agen fly half Jerome Miquel and raced a full 70 metres, fending off Caucaunibuca, to score in the right corner.
Agen ended the half on the up as some powerful play from their pack saw Miquel reduce the gap with a close range penalty.
Gordon D'Arcy assumed the kicking duties from Dempsey and cracked over an easy effort on 51 minutes to re-establish a seven-point lead for Leinster.
The Ireland centre added his second penalty shortly after the
hour and
Leinster's second win of the competition was confirmed on 66
minutes when O'Driscoll, who spent much of the second half
receiving treatment for a knock, spun in for his second try.
D'Arcy missed the conversion and Agen made a fight of it when three minutes later, Caucaunibuca ran in from the left flank, despite the best efforts of Dempsey and Denis Hickie.
A late sin-binning for Meeuws, who walked for a ruck offence, played into Leinster's hand and the bonus point try came when a long cut-out pass from Malcolm O'Kelly gave O'Driscoll the space to make the corner again.
