Leinster have to battle for parity

Glasgow 10 Leinster 10:GLASGOW WARRIORS put what Leinster can only hope is a temporary brake on their run of successes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 by holding the league leaders to a draw at Firhill on Saturday night and in the process opened the possibility of the two sides meeting in the play-offs.

Leinster will be pleased they saved themselves from defeat after trailing 10-0 going into the final quarter when they were down to 14 men following the despatch to the sin-bin of fullback Isa Nacewa.

“To come back and grab a draw in the circumstances of being down to 14 men in these conditions was terrific” admitted Leinster coach Joe Schmidt.

Firhill’s narrow pitch does not invite flowing rugby and the constant drizzle placed further limitations on what could be achieved.

In the event both sides relied on tactical kicking from the half-backs, close-range forward play and dynamic bursts from their backrow men, Leinster number eight Leo Auva’a showing his physicality with an early surge that led to a penalty, only for Ian Madigan’s kick to rebound off the upright.

Glasgow then wasted a scoring opportunity when scrumhalf Henry Pyrgos knocked on in front of the posts after quick recycling by the Warriors’ forwards. The home side atoned,somewhat with a penalty by their Scotland outhalf Ruaraidh Jackson.

If Leinster felt they could turn matters around in the second half they were quickly disabused of this notion when Glasgow’s Tom Ryder pirated possession at a lineout before bursting clear and sending hooker Pat McArthur to the try line only for him to be hit by Nacewa.

McArthur appeared to have grounded the ball, forcing Irish referee John Lacey to consult with the TMO. The video showed the hooker was in touch before touching down. But to the surprise of the Leinster team and indeed the home crowd, Lacey awarded a penalty try after deciding Nacewa had not not used his arms in the try-saving “tackle” and sent the Leinster fullback to the sin-bin.

Jackson’s easy conversion kick gave Glasgow a 10-0 lead. Fourteen-man Leinster, however, merely stepped up their collective effort, producing a series of close-range drives that ended with prop Heinke van der Merwe scoring from close range and Madigan adding the conversion.

Then when Nacewa kicked a penalty the scores were level.

GLASGOW WARRIORS: P Murchie; D Lemi, A Dunbar, T Nathan, C Shaw; R Jackson, H Pyrgos; R Grant, P MacArthur, J Welsh, N Campbell, T Ryder, R Harley, C Fusaro, R Wilson. Replacements: R Verbakel for Campbell (30 mins), D Hall for MacArthur (55 mins), G Reid for Grant (63 mins), C Forrester for Wilson (64 mins), S Wight for Jackson, T Seymour for Lemi both (66 mins),

LEINSTER: I Nacewa; D Kearney, B Macken, C O’Shea, F Carr; I Madigan, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, N White, D Browne, M Flanagan, D Ryan, S Jennings, L Auva’a. Replacements: D Toner for Flanagan, E O’Malley for O’Shea (both 40 mins), J Hagan for White (57 mins), A Conway for Carr (63 mins),J Murphy for Ryan (65 mins)

Referee J Lacey (IRFU)