A rejuvenated Leinster Rugby scored a dozen tries against Zebre Parma in the United Rugby Championship, securing a 76-05 win in front of 14,681 spectators at Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening.
This was all about Leinster, who looked sharp from the opening bell. A Sam Prendergast pass was taken on the turn by Jack Conan, and the rampaging number eight offloaded beautifully for Rónan Kelleher to stroll to the right corner. Prendergast landed the touchline conversion.
Straight away, Leinster returned to the front foot. Conan cranked up the speed. Josh van der Flier absorbed a tackle by Scott Gregory and found Luke McGrath for the second try in the fifth minute.
It wasn’t all one-way traffic, the impish Gregory causing problems on the right and half-backs Gonzalo Garcia and Giovanni Montemauri looking to move the ball.
The willingness to play positively made the Italians vulnerable to Leinster’s scavengers, McGrath picking up a loose ball. This set up a sequence of play involving backs and forwards for Jordie Barrett to go close and Ryan Baird to go over for Prendergast to convert for 19 points in as many minutes.
Hot on the heels of a maul, scrum-half Garcia was inches away from sending Gregory through the middle. Quicksilver hands by Zebre beat the oncoming defence for wing Alessandro Gesi to trickle a kick in behind, where Conan shepherded the ball beyond the dead ball line.
Playing the ball out of the tackle was the key to the bonus-point try. Garry Ringrose and Prendergast showed strength through contact for Barrett to finish, Prendergast converting in the 26th minute.
The ball movement of Leinster was asking all sorts of questions. Barrett was keen to get his hands on the ball, blasting over for his second after a burst by Joe McCarthy. Prendergast converted once more.
Baird and Jamie Osborne held on when a pass would have done the trick. Hooker Kelleher almost carried over for another try off the back of a superior piece of athleticism from an overthrown lineout but he was called back for a double movement.
A precise first-phase move from a scrum with Jimmy O’Brien as the magic man was underpinned by accurate passing for James Lowe to find the left corner for 38-0 at the break.
Zebre returned with renewed vigour, swift ball movement undone by poor handling, prop Luca Franceschetto’s spilt ball sparking a counter from the shadow of the posts.
Ringrose’s long pass released Osborne up the right. O’Brien was the link man. Barrett was the strong man. Prendergast was the finisher for seven points.
Conan broke from the back of a scrum for 40 metres. Bautista Stavile intercepted to prevent another strike from long distance.
A lofted ball by Prendergast bounced kindly for Josh van der Flier. The flanker’s fend was too much for full-back Jacopo Trulla. Prendergast converted.
Seven replacements didn’t impact cohesion. Lowe picked off an interception. Barrett kicked to space for Osborne to collect a try for 57 points in 55 minutes.
A zig-zagging attack by Zebre was given life by prop Juan Pitinari’s clean break, only for Ciaran Frawley to make the tackle and Osborne to complete the turnover penalty.
Another Conan take-off from a scrum was the platform for O’Brien to feed Frawley, running angrily through two tackles for the tenth try.
Certainly, Zebre didn’t come to lie down. They struggled mightily to make a dent, hindered by inadequate handling until Alessandro Gesi surged and Garcia crashed to the line for 62-5 in the 65th minute.
Tired bodies led to sub-standard skills and decision-making, as Fetuli Paea threw the ball into touch, going into the final ten minutes.
A direct carry from Baird was backed up by James Culhane’s support line for the 11th try, converted by Frawley.
It was left to Osborne to conclude business with the twelfth from Conan’s pass for Frawley to add the conversion on the full-time whistle.
Scorers:
Leinster Rugby: Tries: Rónan Kelleher, Luke McGrath, Ryan Baird, Jordie Barrett (2), James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Josh van der Flier, Jamie Osborne, Ciarán Frawley, James Culhane, Jamie Osborne. Conversions: Sam Prendergast (6), Ciarán Frawley (2).
Zebre Parma: Try: Gonzalo Garcia.
Teams:
Leinster Rugby: 15 Jamie Osborne, 14 Jimmy O’Brien, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Jordie Barrett, 11 James Lowe, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Luke McGrath, 8 Jack Conan (c), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 Diarmuid Mangan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Rónan Kelleher, 1 Jack Boyle. Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 James Ryan, 20 James Culhane, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Ciarán Frawley, 23 Robbie Henshaw.
Zebre Parma: 15 Jacopo Trulla, 14 Scott Gregory, 13 Fetuli Paea, 12 Enrico Lucchin, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giovanni Montemauri, 9 Gonzalo Garcia, 8 Davide Ruggeri (c), 7 Iacopo Bianchi, 6 Bautista Stavile, 5 Leonard Krumov, 4 Rusiate Nasove, 3 Juan Pitinari, 2 Giampietro Ribaldi, 1 Luca Franceschetto. Replacements: 16 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 17 Muhamed Hasa, 18 Ion Neculai, 19 Matteo Canali, 20 Giacomo Ferrari, 21 Alessandro Fusco, 22 Giacomo Da Re, 23 Filippo Drago.