Leinster 21 Aironi 16:LEINSTER GOT there in the end, but for large tranches of this Magners League match here it looked an unlikely outcome, certainly based on their performance prior to the interval.
Aironi have yet to register a victory in this tournament but must have believed that sorry tale might end in Dublin. It didn’t have as much to do with the performance of the Italian franchise. more so the curiously disjointed and mistake-riddled display of their hosts.
Leinster had a largely inexperienced team, certainly in terms of playing together, but fortunately a number of senior players, the outstanding Isa Nacewa, Richardt Strauss and replacement scrumhalf Isaac Boss, ensured the home side managed to eke out a narrow victory.
There were other significant contributions, notably Eoin O’Malley and from the younger generation, Niall Morris, David Kearney and captain Rhys Ruddock. The Leinster pack worked hard and to better effect after the interval, while the back play was less lateral as well.
The result, though, won’t completely supersede other considerations from the night. Aironi were hugely physical in the collisions and how they managed to complete the game with a full complement of players given some of the tackling is a mystery.
The opening 25 minutes contained a morass of errors, and, sadly for the home side, the departure of young centre Brendan Macken with a suspected broken collar bone. Morris was introduced on the left wing with Kearney moving to partner O’Malley in midfield.
It was shockingly poor fare at times with kicks sliced or punted out on the full, while the placed-ball statistics made for equally grim reading. Nacewa had an excuse for an early miss, his senses scrambled from a dangerous, off- the-ball hit. He posted his second attempt from much farther out, his mental equilibrium restored.
Ian Madigan was just off target with a penalty attempt from the halfway line, but the home side were very fortunate Aironi scrumhalf Tito Tebaldi was even more errant, landing only the most difficult of three penalty attempts.
Leinster were denied a try on 25 minutes when Nacewa’s pass to Morris was adjudged forward; it wasn’t, but referee Nigel Owens ruled otherwise, possibly on the advice of his touch judge.
Matters deteriorated when scrumhalf Paul O’Donohue’s long pass missed his team-mates and was instead snaffled by Aironi centre Horacio San Martin.
There followed eight minutes of pressure on or close to the Leinster line before former Munster number eight Nick Williams barged his way over from a five-metre scrum on the short side, despite Madigan’s brave attempt to stop the New Zealander.
Tebaldi kicked the conversion, and the Italian team were almost gifted a second try soon after.
O’Donohue’s inside pass from a lineout was intercepted by flanker Jaco Erasmus and in the 45-metre foot-race that ensued, Morris did brilliantly to get back to the South African and produce a wonderful, try-saving tackle.
Leinster coach Joe Schmidt’s interval pep talk had the desired effect, the home playing with greater intensity and cohesion. Nacewa kicked a penalty two minutes after the re-start and then landed the conversion to a wonderful Leinster counter-attack that pre-empted a try from Morris.
Paolo Buso dropped a superb goal from long range, but Nacewa responded with a penalty to nudge the home side back in front.
Leinster increasingly appreciated the dynamic that when they put pace on the game they could stretch the Italian side and were eventually rewarded for a sustained spell of excellent continuity and patience when Kearney demonstrated strength and great feet to force his way over in the corner.
There was still time for a Leinster infringement that allowed Buso to register a final penalty and a bonus point for the visitors.
LEINSTER: I Nacewa; A Conway, B Macken, E O’Malley, D Kearney; I Madigan, P O’Donohue; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, C Newland, D Toner, K McLaughlin, R Ruddock (capt), D Ryan, S Keogh. Replacements: N Morris for Macken (12 mins); S Jennings for Keogh; I Boss for O’Donohue (both 46 mins); S Shawe for Newland (66 mins); I McKinley for Madigan (69 mins); J Harris Wright for Strauss; J McGrath for Van der Merwe (both 77 mins).
AIRONI: P Buso; K Roberston, G Pizarro, H San Martin, D Demas; J Marshall, T Tebaldi; A de Marchi, R Santamaria, F Saibano, M Bortolami (capt), J Furno, N Cattina, J Erasmus, N Williams. Replacements: L Ferraro for Santamaria (62 mins); Andrea de Marchi for Alberto de Marchi (63 mins); L Redolfini for Staibano; F Biagi for Furno; A Benatti for Erasmus ; P Travagli for Tebaldi (all 66 mins); M Pratichetti for Pizarro (69 mins).
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).
