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Le Roux error proves costly as Leinster march into last four

By Alex Fisher
Wasps’ Willie Le Roux loses control of the ball

Leinster booked their place in the European Champions Cup semi-finals with a 32-17 victory over Wasps – who were left to rue a first-half mistake from Wille Le Roux.

Three first-half tries proved decisive for the Pro12 leaders in Dublin with Joey Carbery influential throughout with assists for Isa Nacewa and Jack Conan.

The boot of Jonathan Sexton helped kick Leinster well clear of their opponents but it could have all been very different had Le Roux not lost control of the ball as he dived over the line in the 24th minute.

It was one of many errors to blight Wasps’ performance, meaning even second-half tries from Christian Wade and Jimmy Gopperth could not spark a revival from the side who sit top of the Premiership.

Fergus McFadden ensured Leinster’s win with six minutes remaining and they will travel to France for their last-four encounter against either Clermont Auvergne or Toulon, while Wasps’ focus will turn back to domestic success.

In front of an expectant Aviva Stadium crowd Leinster quickly assumed control of proceedings against an uncharacteristically sloppy Wasps side.

After Sexton had kicked the game’s first points it was only a matter of time before Leinster added to their lead, and it came following a superb pass from Carbery that allowed Nacewa to touch down on the overlap – his seventh try of the competition.

Wasps had looked flustered under the early pressure but a sensational break from Kurtley Beale should have settled them down.

The Australian scythed through the midfield and cut across to time a pass to the supporting Le Roux, who raced to the line only for the TMO to rule he dropped the ball as he swan-dived over the line.

Leinster quickly punished that mistake as Carbery created their second try for Conan after Gopperth had kicked Wasps’ first points. 

And with half-time approaching Robbie Henshaw added a third after Dan Leavy had overturned possession – Sexton adding the extras to give the hosts a 22-3 lead at the break.

There was little difference in the opening exchanges of the second 40 as mistakes continued to creep into Wasps’ display, Sexton adding another three points in the 49th minute after Nathan Hughes had been penalised for being offside.

Finally there was a reason for Wasps cheer as the visitors grabbed their first try of the match, Wade showing his electrifying speed to outpace two defenders to collect his own chip forward.

Former Leinster man Gopperth gave Wasps late hope with a superb score having danced through the hosts’ defence, the fly-half reducing their deficit to eight points with the resulting conversion.

But the Irish side were not to be denied as McFadden bundled over the line late on to ensure their another European semi-final appearance for the three-time champions.

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Jon 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

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A
Adrian 12 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

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