LEINSTER 29 – 5 CARDIFF RUGBY
Cardiff Rugby head coach chose not to risk Taulupe Faletau in the game against the BKT United Rugby Championship title holders a week out from their Investec Champions Cup clash with Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens.
Leinster started with eight British & Irish Lions in what was their first game at their newly refurbished home at the RDS, and they delivered a typically efficient performance that included five tries.
Cardiff’s only response was a try from Mason Grady that temporarily cut the home lead to 17-5 in the first half. By half-time it was 22-5 and the champions had their try bonus-point in the bag.
After back-to-back defeats in South Africa, Leo Cullen’s men wanted to get back to winning ways, and they made a fast start with three tries inside the opening quarter from full back Hugo Keenan, wing Jimmy O’Brien and No 8 Jack Conan.
O’Brien struck again just before the break, and it was to the credit of the visitors that they restricted Leinster to just one more try in the second half. That came four minutes from time through Ireland and Lions centre Jamie Osborne.
“We were under pressure in the first half and we couldn’t apply our pressure onto them. A quality team like Leinster, they knew we were always going to struggle,” said Van Zyl.
“We made a few unforced errors, things we could have controlled that could have made a massive difference. The big thing is we fought back at the end.
“We still lost the second half, but there are definitely positives to take.”