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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Sport
Michael Scully

Leinster romp into Champions Cup knockouts with big 64-7 Rec victory

Leinster coasted into the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup on the back of their latest show of formidable attacking force.

Leo Cullen's side put 13 tries on Montpellier at the RDS Arena last Sunday and, six days on, the Blues scored 10 more against Bath at the Rec in what amounts to a massive statement of intent.

Johnny Sexton was on board for eight of his side's tries, including three in four minutes in a brilliant third quarter spell just before he made way.

Ireland boss Andy Farrell will be pleased to see his veteran out-half hitting strong form on his first start since the victory over the All Blacks in mid-November.

There was also an impressive return by Robbie Henshaw as the impressive Jimmy O'Brien helped himself to four tries - a first for a Leinster player.

And, after a slow start to this one, the Blues are hitting their straps again with the business end of Europe to come.

The last two weeks have been about regaining fluency after an enforced five-week hiatus.

Cullen will be pleased that, as his internationals head off for Six Nations duty, his squad did all that was asked of them in the wake of the walkover awarded to Montpellier before Christmas.

Bath couldn't have asked for a better start off Orlando Bailey's kick-off, Jordan Larmour plucked it from the air but Sam Underhill won the hosts a penalty.

Bailey kicked to the corner and Bath attempted to score off a lineout maul.

After Jacques du Toit broke off the back and Josh Bayliss ran into his own man, Leinster were awarded a scrum, but the visitors were quickly back defending close to their own line when Larmour fouled Ruairidh McConnochie in the air - the winger was lucky not to be sin-binned for the challenge.

Referee Andrea Piardi is caught in a tackle between Leinster's Garry Ringrose with Tom Ellis and Charlie Ewels of Bath Rugby (©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)

Leinster won the lineout against the head close to their line.

But once more they found themselves on the back foot when Michael Ala'alatoa failed to roll away at the ruck, and again when Ross Molony tackled his man off the ball.

That fourth penalty concession in less than six minutes prompted referee Andrea Piardi to warn Leinster skipper Johnny Sexton about his side's indiscipline.

Bath had to make the territory and possession count but, once more, Leinster held firm and Andrew Porter earned an important turnover after 10 phases of pressure from the home side..

Finally, in the ninth minute, Leinster had an opportunity to play out and showed real intent as Hugo Keenan countered and the Blues moved the ball right to Jack Conan.

With Ben Spencer offside, Sexton's penalty to Bath's 22 provided the platform and O'Brien pounced to dot down when Max Clark dropped Sexton's kick through under pressure from Larmour.

However the try was eventually disallowed as Larmour held onto Clark before O'Brien touched down.

Still, Leinster had a penalty advantage and Sexton's kick to the corner set up a lineout on Bath's five metre line.

But Kelleher failed to find Josh Murphy and Sexton knocked on the loose ball. It was Bath's turn to sigh in relief.

A superb Leinster break driven by the handling of Sexton and Robbie Henshaw saw Larmour dance out of a couple of challenges before kicking into Bath's 22, only for Bayliss to deny him a try.

The Bath no 8 was forced off for a HIA in the aftermath and in a double blow, the hosts lost England flanker Underhill just moments later after his head connected with Henshaw's hip.

Leinster's Robbie Henshaw comes up against Ruaridh McConnochie of Bath Rugby (©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)

Leinster wasted no time in taking the lead, with Conan carrying close to the Bath line twice before Sexton combined with Keenan to send O'Brien in for the 16th minute try.

Sexton's conversion attempt hit the woodwork and it took another eight minutes for the province to break down Bath's defence again.

And it was the in-form Josh van der Flier whose superb line onto Henshaw's pass saw him fly past Bath's two props in midfield to score, and this time Sexton added the extras.

A third try followed in the 32nd minute as the province got into their stride at last.

Leinster won a scrum against the head and quick ruck ball left the Bath cover exposed, with Larmour gathering Keenan's pass and turning on the gas to power over between the posts. Sexton's conversion made it 19-0.

Bath produced a try in response, but it was Leinster's own doing - Andrew Porter was hit hard in driven back by Bayliss' replacement Mike Williams, and his attempted off-load to Sexton was picked off by Charlie Ewels.

His charge for the line was stopped by O'Brien but a pass out of the tackle allowed Clark to get over for the five-pointer, and Bailey converted.

Stung by the concession, Leinster secured the bonus point 90 seconds later.

Henshaw's lung-busting break exposed poor Bath defending and brought his side into the hosts' 22 and Sexton picked out O'Brien with a perfect grubber to score in the corner.

The out-half split the posts and there was even time for Ciarán Frawley, who had come on several minutes earlier as a blood sub for Larmour, crashed over from close range.

Sexton's conversion made it 33-7 at the break.

Bath's troubles continued early in the second half as Max Deegan instantly made his presence felt after replacing van der Flier at the interval.

Home winger Gabe Hamer-Webb was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on as Sexton attempted to find O'Brien on the left wing and, inevitably, the sixth try followed in the 47th minute.

Porter piled over as Leinster's lineout maul left their rivals desperately trying to withstand the relentless blue wave.

Another charge upfield, this time led by Conan, saw Leinster win another penalty in Bath's 22 and this time Sexton delivered a quick cross-kick for O'Brien to score his second try of the afternoon, with Bath's defence all sucked in.

Leinster's Robbie Henshaw celebrates as Jimmy O’Brien scores a try (©INPHO/Ryan Byrne)

A third try in four minutes followed. Sexton's chip in midfield from the edge of his own 22 set it up as O'Brien ran onto it and found Ringrose with an off-load, and Luke McGrath, Sexton and Henshaw combined to free Keenan to finish a superb score in the corner that brought up the half century.

Sexton missed a second successive conversion from the same spot, much to his frustration - and despite his brilliance in setting up both tries.

It was his final act, with Ross Byrne replacing him - and with Bath were able to rally a little as Deegan was yellow carded for a professional foul on Spencer, who had chipped Jamison Gibson-Park and was making a bee-line for Leinster's line when Deegan collided with him.

Leinster defended superbly to prevent a try - O'Brien denied Max Ojomoh with a fully-committed tackle - as Bath lost their full-back McConnochie to injury.

A buccaneering charge upfield by Keenan put Leinster back on the front foot and while nothing came of that attack, replacement hooker Dan Sheehan raced onto Gibson-Park's magnificent pass to score his seventh try in eight appearances.

The home side tried desperately to score a second try before the finish but Leinster had the last laugh, with Larmour showing presence of mind to pounce on a loose ruck ball and boot downfield for O'Brien to squeeze in at the corner.

It made it an unforgettable afternoon on a personal level - as Byrne made it two successful conversions from two.

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