Leinster unravel second strings

Celtic League/ Ospreys 19 Leinster 26: Leinster closed the gap on Magners Celtic League leaders Cardiff Blues with a victory over the depleted defending champions in Swansea last night.

The four league points gained by Leinster at the Liberty Stadium took them level on points with second-placed Llanelli Scarlets, who travel to face Edinburgh tomorrow.

Sixteen points from the boot of Felipe Contepomi and tries from Shane Horgan and Rob Kearney sealed the Irish side's first Celtic League away victory against the Ospreys.

With Wales facing world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium today and Leinster fielding only half the side who played in the European Cup last weekend, the line-ups of the side were quite different from what they would have been in European Cup competition.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika had rung the changes from the side heavily defeated by Toulouse last Sunday.

Outhalf Jonathan Sexton was a late replacement for the injured Gordon D'Arcy in the back line.

Sexton partnered scrumhalf Cillian Willis, with Australian number nine Chris Whitaker ruled out for three months with a broken leg. This allowed Felipe Contepomi to switch to the centre to form a midfield partnership with Brian O'Driscoll.

The Ospreys were without 16 internationals because of injuries and Wales's clash with the Springboks, Gavin Henson, James Hook, Mike Phillips, Sonny Parker, Huw Bennett, Duncan Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans and Jonathan Thomas all on international duty.

But while Shane Williams, Ryan Jones, Justin Marshall, Lee Byrne, Ian Gough and Adam Jones also missed the clash with minor knocks, they could still boast a second-string line-up with nine capped players.

And it was the Ospreys who opened the scoring after three minutes with a penalty after Leinster were accused of collapsing a scrum. But Contepomi equalled the scores a minute later when his 45-metre penalty went over via the help of a post.

Connor restored the lead almost immediately when the visitors were penalised for holding onto possession.

The Ospreys put the inexperienced Leinster halfback pair and the more established midfield under pressure as they operated an effective blitz defence. But the Leinster backs responded with a try for Horgan after 18 minutes.

Kearney caught O'Driscoll's up-and-under before the ball was released right and Contepomi provided a sublime try-scoring pass to Horgan, the Pumas star converting from the touchline.

Connor reduced the deficit to a point with his third penalty after the Leinster backs were caught offside at a lineout.

Leinster scored again when O'Driscoll provided the try-scoring pass to Kearney. Contepomi again converted.

The Ospreys were relying on the boot of Connor, and he slotted a drop-goal on the stroke of half-time to reduce the interval deficit to 17-12.

Leinster made a replacement at half-time, prop Cian Healey coming on and making an immediate impression by charging over the Ospreys line, but the try was denied by the video referee.

Leinster frustration increased when flanker Keith Gleeson was binned for lashing out at Andy Lloyd. The Ospreys punished this indiscipline when their teenage fullback Gareth Owen scored their opening try, despite O'Driscoll's arm being under the ball, to level the scores. Connor added the conversion but Contepomi restored Leinster's advantage with three penalties.

OSPREYS: G Owen; N Walker, M Taylor, A Bishop, A Brew; S Connor, M Roberts; P James, R Hibbard, A Millward; A Lloyd, L Bateman; H T-Pole, M Holah, F Tiatia (capt). Replacements: J Vaughton for Owen (56 mins); (C Griffiths for Millward,(T Smith for T-Pole (both 62 mins); M Powell for Lloyd, E Shervington for Hibbard (both 71 mins). Scorers: Try- Owen; Conversion- Connor; Penalties- Connor (3); Drop-goal- Connor.

LEINSTER: R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), F Contepomi, L Fitzgerald; J Sexton, C Willis; S Wright, B Blaney, J Gomez; L Cullen, D Toner; C Jowitt, K Gleeson, K McLaughlin. Replacements: C Healy for Gomez (half-time), M O'Kelly for Toner, S Jennings for Gleeson (both 57 mins); B Jackman for Blaney (62 mins); C Warner for Sexton (76 mins). Scorers: Tries- Horgan, Kearney; Conversions- Contepomi (2); Penalties- Contepomi (4). Sinbinned: Gleeson (47 mins).

Referee: A Macpherson(SRU).