| Leinster Victorious On Return To The RDS |
Leinster |
23 - 8 |
Edinburgh |
| Royal Dublin Society Att: 9,630 |
| Saturday 22nd September 2007, 17:30 |
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| Leinster made a winning return to the RDS, their new home ground while Donnybrook is being redeveloped, as tries from Luke Fitzgerald, Gary Brown and Jonathan Sexton helped them past a committed Edinburgh side. |
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| Fly-half Jonathan Sexton is congratulated by his team-mates after scoring Leinster's third try at the RDS |
| © Inpho Photography |
Michael Cheika's men drew a large and vocal crowd to the refurbished RDS Showgrounds for their first competitive game of the season, with former England coach Andy Robinson, rumoured to be in contention to take over at Edinburgh, an interested spectator.
The visitors, who included former Leinster lock Ben Gissing, pressed first and a Ben Meyer chip had them up close to the Leinster try line. Cheika's side stood strong, repelled the danger and fly-half Sexton soon opened his and Leinster's account with a well-struck penalty.
That was followed by a peach of a try from the Ireland-capped Fitzgerald who burst off his wing and got the better of two defenders before touching down in the corner.
Sexton failed with his conversion attempt and with Leinster having three decent attacks thwarted in the lead up to half-time, a 27th-minute penalty from Edinburgh's Phil Godman proved to be the first half's only other score.
8-3 in arrears at the break, Edinburgh upped the tempo at the start of the second period and after the Scots had kicked a close range penalty to touch and backed their lineout maul to do the damage, Leinster had to come up with a vital turnover to stay in front.
Leinster foraged clear of their 22 and won a kickable penalty which Sexton duly sent through the posts. Five minutes later, winger Brown went on a thrilling individual break which displayed his searing pace and also netted Leinster's second try.
The 27-year-old speedster had the legs on the Edinburgh cover as he darted clear and then won the race to gather his own grubber kick and cross the whitewash out wide.
Sexton then crossed ten minutes from time after he shrugged off the challenge of Ben Cairns before powering in under the posts. The conversion capped off a 13-point personal haul for the St. Mary's College clubman.
A fourth try evaded Leinster's grasp and in injury-time Edinburgh quickly turned defence into attack as a loose pass from Stan Wright was collected by winger Andrew Turnbull who raced over for a consolation score. But there was no denying Leinster their 21st straight home win in all competitions. |
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| First half timeline |
| 8 | Edinburgh | Substitution - R Reid on for A MacDonald |
| 10 | Leinster | Penalty kick - J Sexton |
| 12 | Leinster | Substitution - D Toner on for L Cullen |
| 16 | Leinster | Substitution - L Cullen on for D Toner |
| 18 | Leinster | Try - L Fitzgerald |
| 19 | Edinburgh | Substitution - A MacDonald on for R Reid |
| 27 | Edinburgh | Penalty kick - P Godman |
| Second half timeline |
| 45 | Leinster | Penalty kick - J Sexton |
| 46 | Edinburgh | Substitution - R Grant on for G Cross |
| 50 | Leinster | Try - G Brown |
| 51 | Leinster | Substitution - S Knoop on for J Gomez |
| 57 | Edinburgh | Substitution - G Laidlaw on for B Meyer |
| 57 | Edinburgh | Substitution - A Warnock on for P Godman |
| 60 | Edinburgh | Substitution - C Hamilton on for M Mustchin |
| 60 | Leinster | Substitution - S Jennings on for K Gleeson |
| 64 | Edinburgh | Substitution - S Lawrie on for A Kelly |
| 64 | Edinburgh | Substitution - R Reid on for A MacDonald |
| 65 | Leinster | Substitution - C Jowitt on for S Keogh |
| 67 | Leinster | Substitution - B Blaney on for B Jackman |
| 70 | Leinster | Try - J Sexton |
| 70 | Leinster | Conversion - J Sexton |
| 73 | Edinburgh | Substitution - J Thompson on for B Cairns |
| 80 | Edinburgh | Try - A Turnbull |
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