Leinster demolish Montpellier to break points record set in 2003

Leinster cruised past an under-strength Montpellier to resume their Heineken Champions Cup campaign with a thumping 89-7 bonus-point win at the RDS Arena.

Despite some obvious rustiness, Leinster pocketed their bonus point by the 23rd minute and led 40-7 at half-time, with Masivesi Dakuwaqa mustering Montpellier’s only response.

Jack Conan, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne, Ross Molony, Michael Ala’alatoa and Jordan Larmour all touched down in the opening 40 minutes, with the province’s first five conversions fired over by fly-half Byrne.

Champions Cup Chaos, Eben Etzebeth drama & we speak to Zach Mercer | Le French Rugby Podcast | EP 12

We catch up with England international Zach Mercer to find out all about the Covid cases in the Montpellier camp, their European ambition, how he’s thriving on and off the field in France, being back on Eddie Jones’ radar after a chat at a recent Top 14 game and much more. Plus, we discuss the lay of the land in the Top 14 and how the regulations in France are affecting rugby and the Champions Cup. And, we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week…
Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10% off any full price item at Meater.com

Champions Cup Chaos, Eben Etzebeth drama & we speak to Zach Mercer | Le French Rugby Podcast | EP 12

We catch up with England international Zach Mercer to find out all about the Covid cases in the Montpellier camp, their European ambition, how he’s thriving on and off the field in France, being back on Eddie Jones’ radar after a chat at a recent Top 14 game and much more. Plus, we discuss the lay of the land in the Top 14 and how the regulations in France are affecting rugby and the Champions Cup. And, we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week…
Use the code FRENCHPOD10 at checkout for 10% off any full price item at Meater.com

Byrne finished the match with 19 points and Jonathan Sexton kicked 10 as Leinster took their try haul to 13.

Heineken star-of-the-match Josh Van Der Flier (2), Jimmy O’Brien, Dan Sheehan (2), Conan and James Lowe shared out the second-half scores.

A wilting Montpellier played the final 13 minutes without Fijian flanker Dakuwaqa, who was sent off for a swinging arm tackle.

Disruption caused by Covid-19 meant this was Leinster’s first game in over a month and they quickly got down to business.

Conan was in acres of space for the third-minute opener before O’Brien’s pass was batted backwards by Henry Thomas, allowing Gibson-Park to pick up an opportunist second try.

Montpellier’s teenage number 10 Louis Foursans then had a kick charged down by Ronan Kelleher, Byrne following up for a simple finish under the posts.

The only real concern for Leo Cullen’s men was on the injury front, as James Ryan pulled out beforehand with a minor muscle issue and Tadhg Furlong went off early on.

Second row Molony stretched over to make it 28-0, but Montpellier’s attack sparked into life from the restart.

Boyne RFC product Karl Martin made the initial break and, with a knock-on ruled out, Dakuwaqa’s lunging 27th-minute effort from a ruck stood.

Marco Tauleigne was denied a second Montpellier try due to Guilhem Guirado’s foot in touch, before a terrific pass from Gibson-Park played in prop Ala’alatoa for Leinster’s fifth.

Livewire winger Larmour deservedly got on the scoresheet after 38 minutes, reaching over after a classy run by Caelan Doris.

"That's a proper scrum" 🥶

Leinster don't do ring rust ✌️#LEIvMHR | Credit: @btsportrugby pic.twitter.com/7XZ238CtkS

— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 16, 2022

Just three minutes after the interval, Van Der Flier scored from a fine Conan offload and Byrne converted for a 40-point margin.

Kildare man O’Brien soon accelerated through for a superb solo score from 40 metres out, with Byrne again converting.

The newly-introduced Sexton added the extras to Van Der Flier’s second try, as the flanker gobbled up Vincent Giudicelli’s long lineout throw and sped clean through from Montpellier’s 10-metre line.

Into the final quarter, replacement hooker Sheehan galloped over from Lowe’s return offload for Sexton to convert.

Dakuwaqa was then dismissed for a loose challenge that made contact with Van Der Flier’s head.

Sheehan completed his brace from a lineout maul, and Leinster eclipsed their biggest European winning margin from 2003 – A 92-17 victory over Bourgoin – thanks to closing tries from Conan and Lowe.