Rieko Ioane scores first Leinster try in comeback while Cardiff suffer shock

Did Johnny Sextoy congratulate Ioane on his maiden try?

I was at the Leinster-Ulster match.

I was at the Havelock Square end very close to where the Leinster guys were warming up. Prendergast did not put a kick wrong in the warm up. During the match he hardly got a kick right. He was an consistently outstanding kicker underage. Confidence is gone. When the scoreline went 17-7, I started to wonder if it would turn into a match where one team dominated possession but the other scores from every turnover. I actually felt if Ulster won that match by more than a score that Leo Cullen was gone.

In the EPRC semi final against Northampton, an ascendent Leinster had got the score back to 3 points against a tiring opponent. Leinster turned down a 3 point kick to take it to extra team where they would have had the ammo and legs to get the job done. No, another kick to the corner and they lost by 3.

Yesterday evening they had an easy kick to go 10-5 up and start applying scoreboard pressure while Ulster were defending well. No, a kick for the corner and within 2 mins they were under their posts and 12-7 down. Leinster now tried to force it under a little scoreboard pressure and Stewart at 2 showed why he is an international prospect (in open play at least) by dragging himself and Lowe 20m to score.

Now Leinster’s game plan was obvious. It was going to be a close match. Keep it close and then pull away when the big players come on. Surely taking the 3 points at that point was sticking to the plan? The reason they didnt is that even after Northampton Cullen is still allowing players to make decisions completely on the fly in the moment.

And the same errors are still being made.

The match wasn’t won by bringing the experienced guys on: it was bringing them on AND Harry Byrne. Byrne would have the wit and indeed authority to overrule Conan on that 3 point error.

He played and kicked Leinster into that win inspite of Ryan’s idiotic risky clearout resulting in a yellow and almost costing his team the match. Leinster about to score when the TMO calls the ref back. Ryan needs to be dropped.

McCarthy boys were savage when they came on. Paddy actually easily making more post contact yards as far as I could see.

That is 5 years running that the Scarlets have won away at Cardiff Arms Park. Why is it a shock?