Leinster romp home as Cullen gives hint to who will wear 10 next week

Leinster 28 Dragons 15

A healthy Joey Carbery coming off on 46 minutes may hint at what coach Leo Cullen is thinking about his outhalf for Leinster's European Champions Cup match against Northampton next week in Franklins' Gardens.

As it was Leinster romped home to another home win against the Dragons. Although the home side allowed late tries in from Pat Howard and Sarel Pretorious, the outcome was never in question.

“It’s good to get the win,” said Leo Cullen afterwards. “It was a little disjointed in the second half and we leaked a few tries. But we’re delighted to get the win and move on now to next week. We’re looking forward to getting back into Europe again.”

Leinster, with most of their international players in the stands watching, had the match won just after half-time with their fourth try of the evening. Totally dominant until that phase and leading 28-3 after 42 minutes, a combination of personnel changes - as well as a little inaccuracy - and Newport upping the tempo gave the visitors the better of the later play.

But by then Leinster had put enough on the score board to see them safely home. That began when Luke McGrath tapped and went on 12 minutes. The scrumhalf ate up ground before being brought down 10 yards from the Newport line.

Prop Peter Dooley then took up the ball and barrelled the rest of the way all too easily. Newport will watch the video analysis of this one and ask why Dooley made it look so. Nacewa converted for Leinster's 7-0 lead.

Three minutes later the dominant home side were threatening once again. Leinster swept up the pitch with McGrath, Hayden Triggs, Rhys Ruddock and Noel Reid all playing a part in the handling before lock Ross Molony touched down, Nacewa again accurate for Leinster's 14-0 lead.

While Angus O'Brien kicked a penalty for 14-3, it was all Newport got in a first half. That was pressed further home just after the half hour when McGrath picked from a Rory O'Loughlin charge and hit man of the match Jack Conan steaming into the line. The Leister number eight easily broke the tackle for the third try of the evening.

Indeed Leinster could have had their four try bonus point sealed in the first half when O’Loughlin touched down. But the replay showed Adam Byrne’s pass to Joey Carbery was forward and Leinster had to make do with going into the break 21-3 ahead.

In the opening 40 minutes Leinster had five line breaks to none from Newport but didn’t have their lineout firing and lost five of those.

The bonus point try arrived minutes into the second half however when O’Loughlin took off and split the Newport defence. The outside centre made 40 yards before the Welsh had gathered.

But with Carbery keeping up and running a clever line behind, O’Loughlin off loaded and the Leinster outhalf sped over the line for 28-3.

It was shortly after that the Leinster performance dropped and Newport came into the match a little more. Winger Pat Howard went over on 55 minutes after a beautifully timed flick back from Geraint Thys Jones.

Another Newport try came on 70 minutes with Pretorious wriggling in and Angus O’Brien converting for 28-15. But that was as far as Leinster allowed Newport back into the match, closing it 28-15.

The win puts them Cullen's side in second place on the table, equal on points but with Munster but less better off on points difference.

Scoring sequence- 12 mins P Dooley, Nacewa con 7-0; 15 mins R Molony try, Nacewa con 14-0; 17 mins A O’Brien pen 14-3; 31 mins R Molony try, Nacewa con 21-3. Halftime. 42 mins J Carbery try, Nacewa con; 55 mins P Howard try 28-8; 70 mins S Pretorious try, O’Brien con 28-15

Leinster: Z kirchner, A Byrne, R O'Loughlin, N Reid, I Nacewa (C); J Carbery, L McGrath; P Dooley, J Tracy, J Loughman, R Molony, H Triggs, T Ruddock, D Leavy, J Conan. Replacements -20 mins T Daly for Reid; 46 mins R Byrne for Carbery; 52 mins R Strauss for Tracy, A porter for Dooley, O Heffernan for Loughman; 63 mins M McCarthy for Triggs, C Rock for McGrath; 75 mins M Deegan for Ruddock.

Newport: C Meyer; P Howard, T Morgan, J Dixon, A Warren; A O'Brien, T Knoyle; P Price, E Dee, B Harris, N Crosswell, R Landman, L Evans (C), N Cudd, H Keddie. Replacements - 21 mins T Prydie for Meyer; 40mins J Thomas for Cudd; 47 mins T Davies for Price; 51 mins C Hill or Crosswell; 53 mins R Jones for Dixon; 56 mins S Pretorious for Knoyle, R Jones for Dee; 72 mins Knoyle for Prydie; 76 mins L Fairbrother for Harris

Referee: M Mitrea (FIR)