But Blade did add a threat and when Hansen chased his well weighted box kick to engulf Liam Turner, Conor Oliver followed up a big steal with a strong carry only for Connacht to miss another lineout inside the 22 with a knock-on in the air. He was replaced by Robbie Henshaw, once of this parish, to renew acquaintances with Ringrose.Īs the rain eased, Connacht had another attacking maul held up after Andrew Porter was pinged in his first scrum duel with Finlay Bealham, much to Porter’s bemusement.Ĭonnacht’s best lineout drive of the night was undone by Caolin Blade going blind without support and being gobbled up. Tadhg Furlong was replaced at half-time, presumably in a preordained move, and soon after they lost Charlie Ngatai when he hobbled off. When Ralston pilfered loose ball after another Leinster handling mistake and Porch kicked a long diagonal, this time they kept the crowd in the game as the penalties turned in their favour.īut twice their lineout malfunctioned, and then despite pounding the Leinster line, Reilly overcooked his skip pass to Mack Hansen and after Byrne surprisingly missed a 40-metre penalty, Connacht twice more went to the corner in overtime but were first held up and then steered over the touchline to leave it 7-0 at the break. Connacht weren’t immune either, working space out wide only for a loose pass by Bryan Ralston and also a fumble by Fitzgerald before the rain arrived.Ĭonnacht were living off scraps but Murray stole two throws and put pressure on another for Carty to hack up field and bring the home crowd into the game. Jack Conan and Van der Flier dropped the ball the latter’s first mistake since around 2019. Ringrose dumped Jack Carty, Jimmy O’Brien reclaimed Byrne’s up-and-under above Conor Fitzgerald and after Ryan won a penalty in the jackal their maul was held up. The surprise was that Leinster, unusually, didn’t turn the screw in the first quarter. ![]() Bynre also landed the conversion near the touchline. Sheehan hit Caelan Doris and Josh van der Flier broke blind off the maul, bouncing Colm Reilly and drawing in Porch before taking the tackle by Shamus Hurley-Langton to offload for Reilly to score. John Porch needlessly conceded a penalty inside halfway when grabbing Cormac Foley at the base and Ross Byrne found a good touch inside the Connacht 22 with little or no angle. ![]() The early salvos hardly gave an inkling as to what would follow, Leinster striking ominously inside three minutes. Connacht defended superbly too, but to come away with nothing from their efforts – notably Paul Boyle, Niall Murray, Josh Murphy and Conor Oliver off the bench. James Ryan et al won’t enjoy the lineout review.īut that will be even truer of Connacht, who turned down kicks all night but failed to convert upwards of 10 lineouts inside the opposition 22. Josh Murphy added oomph, while Dan Sheehan and Garry Ringrose carried a running threat, albeit on a difficult night for throwers – and lifters and catchers come to think of it.
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