Benetton 5-35 Leinster score recap and result from the URC clash
Benetton 5-35 Leinster
Leinster looked to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they travelled to Italy to take on Benetton on Saturday evening.
The Blues opened their URC campaign with a narrow away victory over Edinburgh before a comfortable victory over the Dragons last time out.
Benetton, quarter-finalists in last year's competition, were looking for their opening victory of the season.
The Italian side were held to a 20-20 draw by Scarlets in their opener before they had suffered a 42-10 loss to Glasgow Warriors.
Leinster took nothing for granted for this match, though, naming a formidable starting fifteen that included RG Snyman, who made his competitive debut for the Blues.
And Leo Cullen's side came flying out of the blocks as the referee awarded them a penalty try after Benetton brought down a rolling maul.
The tries then came thick and fast as Jack Conan, Ciaran Frawley and Caelan Doris crossed over the line to secure the bonus point within twenty-five minutes.
Whatever was said in the Benetton dressing room at half-time seemed to make a difference as the Italian side had more fight about them in the second half.
Benetton finally got on the board with a try in the final ten minutes before Lee Barron put some gloss on the scoreline for Leinster.
19:04KEY EVENT
It's all over in Italy and Leinster have recorded a comfortable bonus point victory. The work was done in a dominant first half performance, and while the home side put up a much better fight in the second half, the result was never in doubt.
19:03KEY EVENT
Benetton try to make inroads but the Leinster defence stays strong. van der Flier pounces on the loose ball to launch a counter-attack. Byrne takes the opportunity to kick towards the corner, and Lowe gets on the Benetton man quickly to force a turnover. Leinster get the scrum deep in the Benetton half and they earn a penalty. Kicking to the corner, the lineout goes to plan and Lee Barron spins and gets over the line! Byrne adds the extra from the kicking tee - and that is the last action of the game!
18:48KEY EVENT
Benetton go to to the corner and get the driving maul going from the lineout. Leinster can't stop them and the home side get on the scoreboard. The conversion is missed.
66 mins gone
18:46Eamon Doggett
Baird has been yellow carded for not rolling away as Benetton go in search of their first points of the match. Leinster won't be happy with their discipline in this half.
65 mins gone
18:41Eamon Doggett
We are still waiting for the first second of the second half, but it is Benetton who look the more likely at the moment. They go close but the ball is held up over the line.
61 mins gone
18:31Eamon Doggett
A quiet opening to this half with much of the action taking place in the middle of the pitch. A few sloppy moments from Leinster including a bad pass from James Lowe that goes over Ross Byrne's head.
52 mins gone
18:19KEY EVENT
It's a long way for Benetton in this half but the neutral will be hoping they show more fight.
18:07KEY EVENT
It's half-time and Leinster have a commanding lead thanks to tries from Frawley, Conan, Doris and a penalty try. The home side have been very disjointed and Leinster have taken full advantage. Despite the scoreline, the match has been stop and start, and you feel that Leinster have more gears to go through in the second half.
17:48KEY EVENT
The bonus point is wrapped up within 25 minutes as Caelan Doris can't be stopped from five metres out. Frawley adds the extras and this could be a real mauling.
26 mins gone
17:40KEY EVENT
Benetton are not looking fully engaged in this and Leinster are making them pay. Osborne carries powerfully and nearly makes the line before the ball is thrown by Gibson-Park for Jack Conan to score in the corner! Frawley nails a tough conversion to give Leinster a commanding lead.
20 mins gone
17:32KEY EVENT
Frawley with a delayed pass to set Ringrose through to down the middle. The centre then passes it to Gibson-Park, who waits for Frawley, and the out-half hands off a Benetton man before powering over the line! Brilliant try from deep for Leinster. Meanwhile, Ronan Kelleher has been forced to come off with injury and is replaced by Barron.
12 mins gone
17:30KEY EVENT
Leinster get a maul going forward from a lineout and Benetton end up pulling it down. Leinster are awarded the penalty try and Benetton go down to 14 men for ten minutes.
11 mins gone
17:25Eamon Doggett
A quiet enough opening to this match. Snyman does well to force a Benetton knock-on and give Leinster a scrum in the home side's half. But the Italian side win a penalty at the scrum and are able to clear their lines.
6 mins gone
17:17Eamon Doggett
Let's see how this stellar Leinster lineup gets on in Italy.
17:02Eamon Doggett
Not long now until the match gets under way in Italy.
16:42Eamon Doggett
By Michael Scully
Jacques Nienaber admits he has had to change his approach in dealing with Leinster's players.
Last weekend, new Leinster captain Caelan Doris played an active role in the coaches box alongside Nienaber and Leo Cullen.
Jamison Gibson-Park has acted as a water-carrier in the past - as has Nienaber, for South Africa and for Leinster, using the position to pass on messages but also to closely observe his players.
Read on here
15:52Eamon Doggett
After his controversial move from Munster, RG Snyman makes his competive debut for Leinster today.
The big second row is part of a formiddable forward line for Leinster that is packed full of experience.
The same could equally be said about the backline with the Blues showing a serious statement of intent.
Stay with us for all the action....
Benetton: Matt Gallagher; Ignacio Mendy, Tommaso Menoncello, Malakai Fekitoa, Paolo Odogwu; Jacob Umaga, Alessandro Garbisi; Mirco Spagnolo, Siua Maile, Simone Ferrari; Niccolò Cannone, Riccardo Favretto; Sebastian Negri, Manuel Zuliani, Michele Lamaro (capt)
Replacements: Marco Manfredi, Aminu Destiny, Enzo Avaca, Federico Ruzza, Giulio Marini, Lorenzo Cannone, Andy Uren, Leonardo Marin
Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jamie Osborne, James Lowe; Ciarán Frawley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, RG Snyman; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt)
Replacements: Lee Barron, Michael Milne, Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Brian Deeny, Fintan Gunne, Ross Byrne, Scott Penny
Referee: Craig Evans (WRU)
