Controversial red helps Leinster book PRO14 final place with bonus-point victory over Ulster
Holders Leinster booked their place in the Guinness PRO14 final by securing a 38-19 bonus-point victory over their only challengers Ulster to ensure they now cannot be caught at the top of Conference A.
In a game packed with incident, Leinster came from 12-3 behind and having two overlapping yellow cards by scoring tries from Michael Bent, Josh Van Der Flier and Ed Byrne to give them a 24-12 half-time lead.
The bonus point came in the second half from a Rhys Ruddock try before Dan Sheehan crossing for Leinster’s final and fifth try in the last minute.
Ross Byrne kicked all five conversions and added a penalty.
Ulster had replacement prop Andy Warwick red-carded and Stuart McCloskey shown yellow while Leinster had Devin Toner and Jimmy O’Brien sin-binned in the first half.
RED CARD:
31 mins:
Ulster 12-17 Leinster.
Ulster's Andrew Warwick sent off for leading with the elbow on Ed Byrne.#ULSvLEI #GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/uzHGU37L1U
— eir Sport (@eirSport) March 6, 2021
Leinster’s Ruddock was also sin-binned late in the second half as was Ulster’s Cormac Izuchukwu on a busy night for referee Frank Murphy.
Ulster scored first-half tries through Marcell Coetzee and Robert Baloucoune with Nick Timoney crossing late on.
Ross Byrne got Leinster off the mark with a fourth-minute penalty after the returning Coetzee was penalised at the breakdown.
Shortly afterwards, lock Toner was yellow carded by referee Murphy for a high hit on Michael Lowry and Ulster struck shortly afterwards when, after two penalties to the corner, Coetzee smashed his way over near the posts.
John Cooney converted to put Ulster 7-3 up and with Toner off the field, Ulster made the advantage pay with a marvellous move ending up with Baloucoune driving over in the corner.
Though Cooney hit the post with the conversion attempt, Ulster were now 12-3 in the lead though Leinster were reduced to 13 men as centre O’Brien was also yellow carded for head contact with Ian Madigan.
With Toner back on the field, Leinster’s pack upped their game and when Ulster began to concede penalties in their 22, the visitors tapped two penalties with Bent crashing over beside the posts which allowed Ross Byrne convert to make it 12-10.
The reigning PRO14 champions – now back to 15 again – kept up the pressure and after Luke McGrath was brought down short of the line by Cooney, McCloskey was sin-binned and, once again, Leinster tapped the penalty allowing Van der Flier to wriggle through.
Leinster now had the lead and Ross Byrne‘s conversion made it 17-12.
Then Ulster were reduced to 13 as Warwick was shown red after his elbow made contact with Ed Byrne and not long afterwards the home team lost the talismanic Coetzee to injury.
With McCloskey still seeing time out on his yellow card, Leinster scored their third try when Ed Byrne barrelled over from close range, Ross Byrne converting again to stretch their led to 24-12 which is how the half ended.
Baloucoune then weaved through for what looked like a wonder score only for it to be ruled out due to an apparent block by McCloskey on Ruddock.
A series of penalties against Ulster around the hour mark saw the visitors launch several tap-and-go penalties and despite some resolute Ulster defence, Ruddock eventually barged through under the posts for the key bonus point.
Ross Byrne’s conversion took Leinster to 31-12 ahead.
After camping on the Leinster line – which saw Ruddock sin-binned – Timoney eventually got over after 72 minutes which Lowry converted.
The gamed ended when Sheehan crossed after Izuchuckwu’s sin-binning.
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
6 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
8 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
8 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments