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Jamie Heaslip is tackled by Graeme Morrison
AS IT HAPPENED

As It Happened: Leinster v Glasgow

Leinster were seeking a bonus-point win over Glasgow following their draw in France. But just how did they get on?

Send us your thoughts and comments on this afternoon’s match. E-mail  niamh@thescore.ie, tweet us @thescore_iefind us on Facebook or leave a comment below.

Leinster 38-13 Glasgow (FT)

Leinster wrap up a bonus point before half time – injured Brian O’Driscoll is just glad to have points in the bag, however.

An early kick-off at the RDS today. Leinster really do need to get up and running in their Pool after last week’s draw in France.

Team news coming right up

Leinster: Rob Kearney; Isa Nacewa, Eoin O’Malley, Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald; Jonathan Sexton, Eoin Reddan; Heinke van der Merwe, Sean Cronin, Mike Ross; Leo Cullen (capt), Devin Toner; Kevin McLaughlin, Sean O’Brien, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy, Nathan White, Rhys Ruddock, Shane Jennings, Isaac Boss, Ian Madigan, Fionn Carr.

Glasgow have a couple of well-known names in their line-up:

Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Peter Murchie, Graeme Morrison, Colin Shaw; Duncan Weir, Chris Cusiter; Ryan Grant, Pat MacArthur, Mike Cusack; Richie Gray, Al Kellock (capt); Rob Harley, John Barclay, Ryan Wilson.

Replacements: Finlay Gillies, Jon Welsh, Ed Kalman Tom Ryder, Henry Pyrgos, Chris Fusaro, Troy Nathan, Federico Aramburu.

Glasgow are on the field… we’re just awaiting the champions now.

A big cheer as Leo Cullen leads out his troops.

Andrew Small is our referee this afternoon

Glasgow’s Duncan Weir gets us underway…

GLASGOW go in front. Leinster are penalised in the game’s very first scrum and Weir kicks his side ahead from well out.

TRY LEINSTER Glasgow try to play from the back when they should have just cleared. The ball is turned over. Jonny Sexton then does what Ronan O’Gara does best and feeds Isa Nacewa out on the wing with a sweet kick. The winger can’t make the line himself but passes inside to Rob Kearney, who dives over. Great response from the home team.

Sexton adds the extras with a well-struck effort. Leinster are definitely awake now!

A lovely rolling maul from Leinster sees them edge closer to the Glasgow line. When its hauled down, Small whistles for a penalty.

Sexton misses to the right and wide as a rather subdued crowd watches on.

Stuart Hogg makes some hard yards for Glasgow. The move ultimately ends in a turnover, however. If the Warriors are to get anything from this encounter, they will have to prevent Leinster from getting too far ahead by stopping them playing the match at their own tempo and get their own scoreboard ticking over.

PENALTY LEINSTER Glasgow once again suffer for trying to run the ball out of their own 22. Sexton converts the three points from the right-hand side of the pitch.

Weir gets isolated off the back of a Glasgow scrum and is pinged for not releasing the ball. More questionable decision making from the Scottish outfit.

Henry Pyrgos is on as a blood substitution for Chris Cusiter, who has suffered a cut under his eye.

SIN BIN Small sends Devin Toner to the sin bin for ten after the lock pulls Al Kellock down in a lineout.

PENALTY GLASGOW Weir converts the resulting penalty

TRY LEINSTER Another mistake from Glasgow sees Leinster secure possession. Quick ball almost sees Sexton in, after which the forwards take over and O’Malley eventually gets in under the posts. Sexton converts, and Leinster add seven points while down to 14 men.

Cusiter is back on the field with a rather sore looking cut under his eye now stitched up…

Leinster on the attack again. Glasgow have thumbs in the dam at the moment – if they keep making errors, this could be a very long afternoon for them.

Credit must go to Leinster though. They conceded early and lost a man but are making all the running right now.

TRY LEINSTER Who used to wear the number 13 shirt before Eoin O’Malley? A superb angle from the outside centre sees him gather the ball from Gordon D’Arcy and get his second try of the afternoon. Sexton converts, and the only question seems to be whether Leinster will get their bonus point before or after the break…

A questionable tackle on Jamie Heaslip is let go. Referee Andrew Small then finds himself caught up in a ruck, much to the delight of the crowd!

Glasgow get a penalty (well out to be fair) and opt to go for the line. The lineout is messy though and they only retain possession because of a knock on from a Leinster hand.

Leinster turn over ball seven metres from their own line and some quick passing between Sean Cronin and Nacewa sees him gain field position back up in their opponents’ half. Glasgow then come in at the side of the ruck, and it’s another kick for Sexton. He and Captain Cullen opt for the line.

Another example of why Glasgow are likely to get nothing from this contest…

TRY LEINSTER Bonus point secured, and it’s Gordon D’Arcy on this occasion. More good work from the hosts’ pack and a pass outside to Nacewa is enough to split the Glasgow defence and see the number 12 over the try line. Sexton converts as Small blows the half-time whistle.

Leinster have been much more efficient this afternoon. Glasgow, simply, have not had enough time on the ball and when they do get possession, they have been unable to make an impact because of their own errors.

Very fair point made by @16thman. Saying that, Glasgow have been really poor so far, unusually poor – because they have been a much tougher team to beat in recent years.

We’re back underway at the RDS.

Chris Fusaro is on for John Barclay as the Warriors attempt to regain some pride in the second half.

Glasgow’s best attack of the game is halted by a forward pass. We saw a couple of glimpses of their potential in that move but it still ends with no extra points on the board.

Another physical attack from Glasgow ends in a penalty for the visitors after Cronin goes in at the side, taking Cusiter out in the process. Cian Healy has been introduced to the action, meanwhile, with Sexton getting some attention from the medics following a bang to the head.

The first thing Healy has to do is hop into a scrum. It swings around. Penalty Glasgow, and they call for another scrum.

Wilson breaks off the back of the scrum and is held up just short of the line. Leinster withstand intense pressure before eventually conceding another penalty. The ref might have to think about a card if any more hands find themselves in the ruck…

Another scrum and another series of exhausting drives from Glasgow. Richie Gray eventually goes to far though, and Jamie Heaslip earns a penalty for the men in blue with some great work at the breakdown.

Cusiter is everywhere for Glasgow at the moment. Unfortunately their nicest touches are not coming in the right places at the right times.

More changes for Leinster – Nathan White and Fionn Carr are on for Ross and D’Arcy. Fitzgerald has moved into midfield with former Connacht man Carr taking up a position on the wing.

No score in the second half so far. Glasgow have had much more possession in the second 40 minutes BUT Leinster have been resolute at the back.

Isaac Boss is on for Reddan with Ian Madigan in for Sexton. A disjointed 20 minutes of rugby to come methinks…

Richardt Strauss replaces Cronin. That’s almost the entire bench on the field at this stage!

The second half has been very scrappy. Leinster haven’t really created many chances, though you would still feel that one missed tackle and either side could be in.

Rhys Ruddock is the final man on for Leinster, while Jon Welsh is also on for the Warriors.

A mini break forward from Hogg gives Glasgow fans some cheer. We haven’t seen much of the full back today though.

This really has been an awful second half so far. You can’t blame Leinster – they had this wrapped up by half time and are right to give their younger players from HEC game time. However, Glasgow have been poor; even if they have been a more solid outfit since the interval.

Random observation: some fine moustaches being cultivated amongst both teams!

TRY GLASGOW From nothing Federico Aramburu breaks clear and passes to Henry Pyrgos, who dives over for the first score of the second half. A score from nothing. Glasgow will be happy to have a try and get some more points on a very uneven-looking scoreboard.

Heaslip has been awarded the Man of the Match gong. Not undeserved as he’s had a very busy day.

One of Leinster’s most famous supporters has his say on Pyrgos’s try…

Glasgow turn over late Leinster ball. It’s all down to the referee’s whistle now.

TRY LEINSTER Leinster get the ball back and Isaac Boss just about gets hold of it to dive over under the posts. Madigan converts and the final score lands at: 38-13.

Five points for Leinster. Job done, with Montpellier and Bath playing later today.

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