MAGNERS LEAGUE/Cardiff 20 Leinster 29:LEINSTER'S NEW breed ensured that standards remained high as they picked up a vital win on the road to return to the top of the Magners League table.
Fergus McFadden led the way with 16 points, but his centre partner Eoin O’Malley also created a try and teenage wing Andrew Conway also made his presence felt in an outstanding all-round defensive effort
Leinster came into the game looking to be the third team of the day to top the table.
Leinster coach Michael Cheika set-up his team well enough to dominate the scrums, be highly efficient at the lineout and competitive at the breakdown.
On top of that, the defensive effort was first-class against a team fighting for its life to qualify for the Heineken Cup next season.
Not that the Blues showed too much urgency or fight in the early stages. Instead, they allowed themselves to fall 10 points behind as Leinster preyed on mistake after mistake.
Impressive outhalf Shaun Berne made the most of the home side’s first blunder as he snapped up a loose pass near half-way. He weighted his pass to Isa Nacewa perfectly to allow the wing to race clear up the left and spearhead a move that ended with Devin Toner being held up on the line.
At the resultant scrum the Blues were penalised and Berne kicked for the lineout. The drive came on, the forwards inched forward and eventually Berne sent Fergus Mcfadden over at the posts.
The centre, who ended with a match tally of 19 points, added the conversion and then a penalty.
The Blues, who looked to spread the ball at all times, responded with a try out wide for prop Gary Powell.
The home revival continued after another McFadden penalty when backrow Sam Warburton dived over for a try. Ben Blair converted to cut the gap to a point.
On the stoke of half-time, tough, another Blues indiscretion gave McFadden another shot at goal and he gave his team breathing space with another great kick.
Having been given the inevitable dressingroom roasting at half-time by coach Dai Young, it took the Blues 47 seconds to respond after the break with a try in the left corner by wing Chris Czekaj that gave them the lead.
Yet, with a win and a bonus point beckoning, it took them another 38 minutes to add to their score as the Leinster backrow of Jennings, Stephen Keogh and Kevin McLoughlin went on a seek and destroy mission as they knocked down anything that moved and carried bravely. And where they led, Stan Wright, Bernard Jackman and Malcolm O’Kelly were never far behind.
It was a touch of class from one of the young guns that got the visitors’ back on the right side of the scoreline. McFadden may have been dominating the scoring, but his centre partner Eoin O’Malley was in no mood to be upstaged.
Starting in only his second Magners League game, he weaved his way past two forwards in midfield to carve out an opening that left Jackman with the simple task of pinning back his ears and racing the length of the 22 unopposed to put Leinster back in front.
Leinster’s cause received another boost when Ceri Sweeney was sent to the sinbin for a reckless, dumper-truck tackle on opposite number Berne.
The Aussie outhalf may have failed to punish Sweeney with one point-blank drop goal attempt, but he slotted his second shot after 76 minutes, and then saw McFadden round off proceedings with a penalty from half-way that stole the bonus point from the home team with the last kick of the match.
CARDIFF BLUES: B Blair (S Norton-Knight 64); T James, C Laulala, T Shanklin, C Czekaj; C Sweeney, G Cooper (L Williams 54); T Filise, TR Thomas (H Dowden 27-32, 64-67), G Powell (S Andrews 72), S Morgan (A Pretorius 64), P Tito (captain), M Molitika, S Warburton (A Powell 54), X Rush. Sinbin: C Sweeney 54.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; A Conway, E O’Malley, F McFadden, I Nacewa; S Berne, E Reddan; S Wright, B Jackman (R Strauss 55), CJ van der Linde (M Ross 60), D Toner, M O’Kelly, K McLaughlin, S Jennings (captain), S Keogh (T Hogan 78). Sinbin: D Toner 78.
Referee: A Macpherson (SRU).
