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In the final pool round of the Heineken Cup, Leinster, 2009 winners, smashed Racing Metro 36-11 with a five-try hammering of the Top 14 team at the French outfit’s home base.
Outside centre Brian O’Driscoll celebrated his 32nd birthday with the last try of the game to become joint leader of the all-time try scoring record in the competition.
The result follows hot on the heels of Leinster’s six try demolition of Saracens in last weekend’s match that secured them qualification for the quarter-finals. Clermont Auvergne, current holders of the Bouclier de Brennus, gained second spot in the pool but probably won’t qualify as best runner-up such is the competition in the cup.
Leinster have evolved this season under the guiding hand of Joe Schmidt, late of Clermont, last season’s Top Winner champions. The Leinster backline, already a fast moving threat, has combined with a much more mobile pack and a backrow that is one of the best in the world with Heaslip, Jennings and the find of the season, Sean O’Brien.
O’Brien, who has played at 6 and 8 this season, is already eclisping Heaslip and the Ireland No. 8 could find his position under threat as he recovers from an ankle injury. O’Brien has seven man of the match awards so far – this guy is going to run and run. And he can score tries for fun.
With 21 tries from their H Cup pool games, without doubt Leinster are the side that have seen the shackles thrown off under the new law interpretations. The off-loading, support running, and pace at the breakdown would have Graham Henry purring such is the speed of their game.
Leinster know how to defend too – they conceded just one try against a ebullient, snarling French pack who had the upper hand for parts of the match. Leinster refused to get suckered into a front row scrum-fest with the result that scrums were kept to a minimum, and when they had to pack down, the ball moved fast – in the right direction. Not one reset was called the whole match – a sharp contrast to a lot of matches across European leagues.
Super 15 teams could learn a lot from the new standard of offensive and defensive play that is being set by the men in blue who now are joint favourites with Toulouse to win the cup.
A home quarter-final awaits tonight’s victors. The identity of their opposition will be known by Sunday evening. Whoever it is, they won’t relish heading to face the Blue Magic with 50,000 fans roaring them on at Lansdowne Road.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.