 Try-scorer Malcolm O'Kelly brushes off Bruce Douglas at Stradey Park |
Llanelli Scarlets (3) 10
Try: D Jones
Con: S Jones
Pen: S Jones
Leinster (17) 24
Tries: le Roux 2, O'Kelly
Cons: Contepomi 3
Pen: Contepomi
Malcolm O'Kelly celebrated his record 140th Leinster appearance with a try that crushed the Scarlets' slim Magners League title hopes. The veteran Irish and Lion lock's touchdown at Stradey Park came midway through the second period. O'Kelly's score helped stretch Leinster's lead at the top of the table while halting the hosts' comeback in the process. Ollie le Roux crossed twice and Dafydd Jones touched down for the Scarlets.  | 606: DEBATE |
Leinster had the conditions in their favour in the opening period and took advantage with some clever tactical kicking and well-organised driving play. Visiting fly-half Jonathan Sexton, ably assisted by inside centre Felipe Contepomi, tormented Scarlets' full-back Morgan Stoddart with their accuracy. Morgan was absent on more than one occasion when the ball came tumbling out of the air. That left the home side scrambling to recover in defence and while Leinster found the home tacklers in mean mood out wide, they were able to capitalise from close range. South African prop le Roux crashed over from a close-range drive in the 12th minute, fending off the challenges of Stephen Jones, Gavin Thomas and Phil John in the process. Contepomi converted before he and Jones exchanged penalties in the rain and gloom. Full-back Rob Kearney's long-range drop goal fell short after 24 minutes, but as the half-time break beckoned, Le Roux again forced his way over from close range. Contepomi's conversion gave Leinster a 17-3 half-time lead, but the Scarlets were hopeful of a change in fortunes would go with a change in ends. Phil Davies' side launched a furious series of attacks in the minutes after the break, with centre Regan King probing and forwards such as Scott MacLeod prominent in the loose. The attacking pressure proved too much for Leinster scrum-half and he was sin--binned for failing to roll away in a tackle. Skipper Dwayne Peel opted for a close-range scrum from the penalty and the bold decision was rewarded when one of Welsh rugby's forgotten men, Dafydd Jones, cut inside before driving over. Namesake Stephen converted the 52nd-minute try from wide out with the help of the woodwork, but Leinster struck back at the first opportunity, O'Kelly crashing over for Contepomi to convert. Leinster were briefly down to 13 men when replacement hooker Brian Blaney was binned for repeating Whitaker's offence, but they were too streetwise in the dying stages for the hosts.
Scarlets director of rugby Phil Davies:
"We were beaten by a better team. They adapted far better to the conditions than we did. It was a pretty disappointing game for us." Leinster coach Michael Cheika:
"That was northern hemisphere rugby at its best. I have a lot of sympathy for Llanelli. They have had a month of rainy weather and they are a dry-weather team. "We wanted to dig deep after they hammered us in Dublin and we took a bit of a gamble and accepted the BBC's long-range weather forecast. "We prepared for wind and rain, worked on our tactics and based our bench on it and it worked."
Llanelli Scarlets: Stoddart, James, King, M Jones, G Evans, S Jones, Peel, John, Schwalger, Douglas, Reed, MacLeod, D Jones, G Thomas, Popham.
Replacements: C Thomas for Stoddart (64), Watkins for G Evans (54), Rees for Schwalger (40), Broster for Douglas (70), Eustace for Reed (54).
Not Used: N Thomas, Cattle. Leinster: Kearney, Horgan, Berne, Contepomi, Fitzgerald, Sexton, Whitaker, le Roux, Jackman, Wright, Cullen, O'Kelly, Keogh, Jennings, Heaslip.
Replacements: Healy for le Roux (74), Blaney for Jackman (42), Hogan for O'Kelly (77), Gleeson for Keogh (40).
Not Used: Jowitt, Keane, Dempsey. Att: 7,407 Ref: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland).
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