Understrength Leinster take care of business in Parma

Two tries in the opening half and three after the break did the business for the URC leaders as they secured their ninth bonus point with a routine win.

“Zebre made us work very hard, especially in the opening half,” said man of the match Luke McGrath. “But we are delighted with the team effort and are just delighted to get the points on the road.

Leinster laid down an early marker when Rob Russell looped around from his right wing to take a pass from Liam Turner and race in for his fifth in nine games this term.

Ross Byrne added the conversion but Leinster struggled to build on that bright start and they lost centre Turner to be bin after 21 minutes for a head challenge on Zebre out-half Geronimo Prisciantelli.

The Italians made the extra man count with a superb try after Leinster lost their third lineout of the opening half. Zebre countered quickly, Argentine Prisciantelli changing the point of attack with a perfectly weighted crosskick to the right which winger Scott Gregory fed back inside for full-back Jacopo Trulla to collect and run in an excellent score which Prisciantelli converted to tie the game.

then Andrew Osborne crowned his senior debut with a neat chip and chase down the left after experienced scrum-half McGrath had created the initial opening by going blindside, and it was finished in style by Osborne, with brother Jamie one of the first on hand to congratulate him.

Turner returned to the bin and then six minutes from the interval Zebre were temporarily reduced to 14 when openside flanker Iacopo Bianchi got a rush of blood to the head and shot out of the line and took out Will Connors off the ball.

Leinster, ahead 14-7, got on top after the restart, with former Newbridge College star Diarmuid Mangan coming on for his senior debut and making an immediate impression.

Scrum-half McGrath also scored from inside his own half, sniping down the left wing and escaping the clutches of scrum-half Gonzalo Garcia and winger Gregory before Prisciantelli got back and bundled him into touch.

However, Zebre made a mess of the lineout and Leinster pounced, working the ball across the field with Max Deegan, with a bit of help from Ross Byrne who was outside him, somehow staying in play to offload inside and McGrath was there to score in the right corner for his seventh try in the URC against Zebre and bring his points haul for Leinster to 250.

The bonus point came on 50 minutes. Turner exploded through the home cover and while he was eventually nabbed, the recycle was quick and Scott Penny had the easiest of tasks to touch down his 33rd Leinster try under the posts.

Byrne converted and the lead was out to 26-7 as both sides continued to empty their benches as the game headed for an inevitable conclusion, with the highly promising teenager Conor O’Tighearnaigh coming on for his debut ten minutes from time when he replaced Ross Molony.

Replacement scrum-half Fintan Gunne set up Russell for his second try in the closing stages to round off the win.

Scorers: Zebre Parma: Try: J Trulla. Cons: G Prisciantelli 

Leinster: Tries: R Russell (2), A Osborne, L McGrath, S Penny. Cons: R Byrne (3) 

Zebre Parma: J Trulla; S Gregory, L Morisi (D Mazza 65), F Paea, S Gesi; G Prisciantelli, G Garcia (A Fusco 65); M Hasa (L Rizzoli 50), G Ribaldi (T Di Bartolomeo 65), J Pittinari (R Genovese 49); D Sisi (M Canali 56), L Krumov; D Ruggeri (J Kaifa 56), I Bianchi, G Licata (c) (P Bruno 65).

Leinster: C Frawley (H McErlean half-time); R Russell, L Turner, J Osborne, A Osborne; R Byrne (S Prendergast 62), L McGrath (F Gunne 62); E Byrne M Milne 51), L Barron (J McKee 51), T Clarkson (M Ala’alatoa 51); R Molony (C O’Tighearnaigh 70), B Deeny; W Connors (D Mangan half-time), S Penny (capt), M Deegan.

Referee: M Ferreira (South Africa).