URC: Zebre 7 Leinster 31
Leinster secured a bonus-point triumph over Zebre Parma at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi on Saturday to open up a four-point lead at the United Rugby Championship summit.
Although it was a far from perfect performance overall, tries from Rob Russell (two), debutant Andrew Osborne, Luke McGrath and Scott Penny ensured that Leo Cullen’s men emerged as convincing winners in the end.
It took Leinster less than four minutes to break the deadlock in northern Italy, Russell cutting through the Zebre defence for his 15th try in just 27 senior appearances in professional club rugby.
Playing his third game since recovering from an arm injury sustained in last November’s URC clash with Munster at the Aviva Stadium, Ross Byrne convincingly added the extras to give Leinster an early seven-point platform.
The visitors struggled to develop a consistent attacking rhythm for the remainder of the opening quarter, however, and suffered a setback when outside centre Liam Turner was sinbinned on 22 minutes following a head-to-head collision with Zebre outhalf Geronimo Prisciantelli.
Zebre immediately seized advantage of their temporary numerical supremacy with Scott Gregory releasing fullback Jacopo Trulla for a clinically-taken converted try after he had superbly collected a crossfield kick by Prisciantelli. This helped to bring the contest to life, only for Leinster to regain the initiative before Turner’s return to the field of play.
Lining up in the Leinster backline alongside his older brother Jamie, first-team newcomer Andrew Osborne raced on to his own chipped kick in behind the Zebre rearguard and dotted down in fine style on the left flank.
Another Byrne conversion moved Leinster 14-7 in front and despite Zebre losing Iacopo Bianchi to a yellow card on 33 minutes, this was how it remained at the break.
While Will Connors and Six Nations winner Ciarán Frawley didn’t return on the resumption, the Blues were still left with plenty of know-how and experience among their ranks. Whereas Ed Byrne was making his 100th Leinster appearance, Max Deegan passed that particular milestone at the beginning of the season.
The dynamic backrow once again proved his worth by delivering an offload into the path of McGrath just before he was forced into touch and the diminutive scrumhalf crossed over with minimal fuss. McGrath subsequently turned provider for Leinster’s bonus-point try on the stroke of 50 minutes as he picked out Penny for a simple finish under the posts after Turner had made a powerful surge into the Zebre 22.
For large stretches, this looked like being the final try of the game. That was until Leinster eventually got a foothold back in the Zebre 22 with three minutes remaining on the clock and Russell squeezed over in the right corner for his second try of the night.
ZEBRE PARMA: J Trulla; S Gregory, L Morisi, F Paea, S Gesi; G Prisciantelli, G Garcia; M Hasa, G Ribaldi, J Pitinari; D Sisi, L Krumov; D Ruggeri, I Bianchi, G Licata.
Replacements: P Bruno for Gregory, R Genovese for Pitinari, L Rizzoli for Hasa (all 51 mins); M Canali for Sisi, J Kaifa for Ruggeri (both 56); T Di Bartolomeo for Ribaldi, A Fusco for Garcia, D Mazza for Morisi (all 65).
LEINSTER: C Frawley; R Russell, L Turner, J Osborne, A Osborne; R Byrne, L McGrath; E Byrne, L Barron, T Clarkson; R Molony, B Deeny; W Connors, S Penny, M Deegan.
Replacements: D Mangan for Connors, H McErlean for Frawley (both h-t); J McKee for Barron, M Milne for E Byrne, M Ala’alatoa for Clarkson (all 51); S Prendergast for R Byrne, F Gunne for McGrath (both 63); C O’Tighearnaigh for Molony (71).
Referee: M Ferreira (SARU).
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