Peter Burke in the RDS
Could the last person who leaves turn out the lights and lock the doors.
The home ground of Leinster rugby finished its 19 year run in the RDS as we know it on Friday night. The wrecking balls arrive onsite soon to transform the aged stadium into something far better.
For their last game Leinster entertained Connacht who were battling for a playoff place, a remote chance at that needing a few hail marys and other results to go their way.
Walking into the RDS on Friday night and even in the surrounding pubs there was a lack of green jerseys to be seen maybe a resignation to the perceived outcome.
The score line looked bad for Connacht at half time, they were well behind at 21 – 0 down , Jack Conan, Jimmy O’Brien, and Ciarán Frawley all scoring it wasn’t looking good for the westerners and to be honest they were not playing well.
Along with some scrum and breakdown issues, Leinster found the gap in the Connacht defensive line, as Frawley and Prendergast combined to put O’Brien over, took 20 mins to so and this was a kind of coming of age for Sam as he shone in the sun drenched RDS.
The game itself gave Leinster a bonus point win with a series of impressive plays. Leinster’s third try came from a well-executed lineout move involving Rónan Kelleher and captain Scott Penny, leading to Jack Conan breaking through and offloading to Ciarán Frawley to finish. Despite the improved attack from Connacht, with contributions from David Hawkshaw, Santiago Cordero, and Caolin Blade and Tommy O’Brien making a crucial try-saving tackle on Cian Prendergast, it just looked like or played like Connacht would never have control of this game.
Leinster vs Connacht
Leinster’s Dan Sheehan scores his teams fourth try despite Colm Reilly of Connacht
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady
Cordero nearly set up a try for Blade with an acrobatic volley, but Leinster maintained their pressure. Connacht’s Cian Prendergast managed to win a key turnover penalty near their line, but Leinster suffered a setback when Michael Ala’alatoa was yellow-carded for shoulder contact with Blade’s face during a ruck.
Leinster secured the bonus point with a try from Dan Sheehan, who broke off a maul in the 62nd minute to score. Connacht responded with a well-crafted team try, initiated by Conor Oliver’s break down the right and finished by Caolan Reilly after a well-timed offload from Shane Jennings. Tom Daly added the conversion.
Leinster capped off their victory with a spectacular individual effort from O’Brien, who sprinted 80 meters to score, with Sam Prendergast converting to seal the final points.
A good win for Leinster but you feel Connacht have a lot of soul searching to do and I don’t know if Pete Wilkins is the man for the job.