Montpellier 22 Leinster 16
When Isa Nacewa, place kicker extraordinaire, converted his own try as the clock ticked over 80 minutes a valuable losing bonus point was secured but Leinster leave Montpellier with plenty of regrets.
Error upon error lost them this game.
Imagine all the things they desperately wanted to avoid on this October journey to the Mediterranean coast line.
Wind and rain for starters.
“It never rains in Montpellier,” said the local taxi man. “Except these past two days - good for the battle, non?”
Non.
Or for Johnny Sexton and Seanie O’Brien to be both withdrawn at half-time. Not injured, we were told afterwards by Leo Cullen, but managed.
“Johnny and Seanie - two of them coming back in,” said Cullen. “I mean, we are making assessments on the two of them coming back in all week. Like, what is suitable and not putting guys at unnecessary risk.
“The two of them were pissed off to be coming off at half-time because we made the call.”
The uncomfortable demeanour of Ireland’s outhalf was evident from kick-off; he lacked his usual zealous commitment to the cause, his line kicking so strangely unsure.
At least Nacewa was flawless off the tee.
Something happened since Friday when Nacewa stated: “I won’t be place kicking this weekend. When Johnny’s back, Johnny goal kicks.”
Not this time.
“The kicking is really between Isa and Johnny,” Cullen explained.
“They are bouncing off each other all the time. I don’t make the call on who kicks.”
So Leinster were not concerned about Sexton’s hamstring? “We are not trying to be secretive here. That’s how those guys operate. They have a ton of experience. Isa would have kicked a lot during the week while Johnny was trying to tick all the boxes on his return to play.”
It took Leinster the bones of 75 minutes to reveal themselves with really encouraging performances from Garry Ringrose and Dan Leavy.
Until then they struggled in the face of this enormous Montpellier pack, made up of South African, Fijian, French and Georgian men that Jake White has gathered for a double assault on Europe and the Top 14.
It was like watching the Springboks, in the good times. Direct rugby, directed by Frans Steyn’s occasionally wayward right boot.
Jacques du Plessis, their massive 23 year old lock, taken from South Africa long before his prime, was doing a decent impression of Bakkies Botha.
What will sting the most for Leinster is all three Montpellier tries were avoidable, born out of sloppy handling and missed tackles.
Referee Luke Pearce hindered more and helped them with a really poor decision to sin bin Rob Kearney at a crucial moment.
Most worrying of all was Sexton’s inability to influence the contest.
One poor kick out of hand even set the platform for Montpellier’s second try.
The weather didn’t prove as big as issue as initially expected but the pitch cut up badly and the ball refused to stick in Leinster hands, until Ringrose and Leavy took control.
Still, leading 3-0 with 28 minutes played was a decent enough return.
Then it all fell apart. O’Brien’s brilliant poach just outside his 22 saw play move into midfield but Cian Healy’s fumble allowed Jannie du Plessis scoop the ball up for Vincent Martin. The young French centre spied Mike Ross, glided outside him and away from Robbie Henshaw.
Try two came from a succession of mishaps leading to the unleashing of Nemani Nadolo. Sexton’s poor clearance allowed Montpellier crank up their maul but they rapidly switched play from right to left wing.
This gave Nadolo a one on one against Kearney. The Ireland fullback’s head was on the wrong side as the Fijian ran through him.
Steyn converted from the touchline and at 14-3 Leinster desperately needed the interval.
It got worse. The scrum had been fairly solid but Pearce blew for wheeling to allow Steyn make it 17-3 just three minutes into the second half.
That prompted Cullen to send in Jack McGrath and Sean Cronin. It also brought to an end the pre-game excitement about seeing Sexton, O’Brien and Healy together again. They were all in the stand again.
The physical toll was beginning to show. Mick Kearney and Pierre Spies both departed for head injury assessments. Spies returned. Jannie du Plessis was also forced off with a head injury.
Nacewa kept kicking his goals but the anvil fell on 58 minutes. It was the story of the game - an error from a Leinster player who so rarely makes any.
Perhaps influenced by the half-filled yet noisy stadium, Kearney had just been yellow carded by Pearce. The referee looked at Joffrey Michel receiving treatment, laid out after he chipped and ran into Kearney. A player is allowed stand his ground. He even considered a penalty try.
That put Leinster under the pump but some excellent play by Cronin won a five metre scrum. Heaslip picked and went blind but his pass for Zane Kirchner was intercepted by Nadolo.
Easy points. Dreadful stuff.
Leinster did, finally, hold onto possession long enough for Nacewa to sneak over and convert under intense pressure. Leavy’s hard yards and Jamison Gibson-Park’s bullet pass get most of the credit.
The internationals disappear into the Carton House bubble ahead of the seemingly invincible All Blacks in Chicago on November 5th. Time for Cullen’s young squad members to step up against Connacht. Like Leavy and Ringrose are already doing.
Scorers: Montpellier – Trys - V Martin, N Nadolo 2, Cons - F Steyn 2, Pens - F Steyn. Leinster – Try - Nacewa 1, Cons - Nacewa 1, Pens - Nacewa 3
Montpellier: Joffrey Michel; Marvin O'Connor, Vincent Martin, Alexandre Dumoulin, Nemani Nadolo; Frans Steyn, Nic White; Yvan Watremez, Shalva Mamukashvili, Jannie Du Plessis; Jacques Du Plessis, Paul Willemse; Fulgence Ouedraogo, Akapusi Qera (capt), Pierre Spies.
Replacements: Mikheil Nariashvili for Mamukashvili, Davit Kubriashvili for J du Plessis (both 49 mins), W Liebenberg for P Spies, J Mogg for J Michel, N van Rensburg for A Qera (al 65 mins).
Leinster Rugby: Rob Kearney; Zane Kirchner, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Isa Nacewa (capt); Johnny Sexton, Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, James Tracy, Mike Ross; Devin Toner, Mick Kearney; Sean O'Brien, Josh Van Der Flier, Jamie Heaslip. Replacements: J Carbery for J Sexton, J Murphy for S O'Brien (both half-time), I Nagle for M Kearney (HIA, 43- X mins), J McGrath for C Healy, S Cronin for J tracy (both 46 mins), D Leavy for J van der Flier (73 mins).
Referee: Luke Pearce (England).
