European Cup holders Leinster kicked off this season’s tournament with a 9-12 loss to in-form English Premiership club London Irish on Friday. Ryan Lamb’s penalty in the 80th minute proved the reigning champions’ undoing.
In the night’s other two games Ulster opened their campaign with a valuable 26-12 home win over Bath and Nicky Robinson’s late penalty rescued Gloucester who ran out 19-17 winners over Newport Gwent Dragons.
Jonathan Sexton put Leinster into a third minute lead with a penalty with Australia’s Peter Hewat levelling shortly after.
Sexton regained the lead for the Irish champions on 12 minutes only for Hewat to convert London Irish’s second penalty to level at 6-6 at half-time.
Lamb put London Irish into the lead for the first time with the first of his kicks over the bar after the hour mark with Sexton responding to set up a nervy final five minutes.
Lamb though was to have the last word with a thumping kick from just inside the hosts’ half.
Leinster slipped up against a London Irish side with a superbly organised defence and the sure-footed contribution of Hewat and Lamb whose’ killer kick was as a result of a penalty awarded against Leinster’s Mike Ross.
Leinster will have a chance to redeem themselves in their next Pool 6 tie against French side Brive, who face Llanelli in Wales on Saturday.
The Dublin side will have felt aggrieved as this was a match they could and should have won. They were the side that came closest to breaking the try deadlock, but they never built on a strong opening quarter.
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