LEINSTER STRUGGLED TO a 24-24 draw with Benetton Treviso in Italy, with two tries from wing Darragh Fanning helping Matt O’Connor’s side to avoid defeat.
Out-half Jimmy Gopperth had a last-gasp chance to win the game for Leinster with a drop goal, but his effort crept wide to the right. In truth, a win for the Irish province would have been a steal after bottom-of-the-table Treviso showed real spirit.
O’Connor’s men were scrappy in attack throughout, and gave up worrying yards in defence at times. More positively, Dave Kearney scored a try on his return from a knee injury, while Fanning’s excellent form continued.
The Irish side got off to a superb start when Fanning scored in the right corner after just three minutes, although Gopperth’s conversion attempt was wide.
Jack Conan on the charge for Leinster from No. 8. Giuseppe Fama / INPHO
Giuseppe Fama / INPHO / INPHO
Following that early setback, Treviso grew into the game and enjoyed a healthy share of possession. Their improvement told in the 12th minute, when Andrea Pratichetti burst through two soft Leinster tackles to score, with fullback Jayden Hayward adding the extras.
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As Leinster struggled to build consistent and incisive phases, the home team struck again with 25 minutes on the clock, as openside Dean Budd benefited from poor play at the base of the Leinster scrum to score.
Five metres from their own tryline, a mix-up between Leinster scrum-half Luke McGrath, number eight Jack Conan and the inside backs saw Budd pick off an intended pass for an easy try.
Hayward failed with the conversion this time around.
Leinster did bounce back swiftly, with Kearney touching down at the end of a sweeping move that saw Conan bosh through one tackle and then offload to the Ireland international wing for a straight-forward finish. Zane Kirchner’s break had kick-started that passage of attack.
Gopperth missed the conversion to leave the Italians 14-12 ahead at the break.
An excellent block down try from replacement hooker Bryan Byrne pushed Leinster in front just a minute into the second half. The 21-year-old got himself in the way of Joe Carlisle’s kick and then showed impressive pace to race clear from 35 metres out after gathering the rebound.
Jordi Murphy gets wrapped up by Davide Giazzon. Giuseppe Fama / INPHO
Giuseppe Fama / INPHO / INPHO
Gopperth was on target with the conversion, but was then at fault when Treviso blindside Marco Barbini scored eight minutes later. Leinster’s out-half had a kick of his own blocked down, allowing Barbini an easy finish.
With Hayward converting, Treviso were back into a 19-17 lead, but that swung again when Fanning dived over from close-range for his second try after some extended Leinster pressure in the Italians’ 22.
Gopperth tacked on the two additional points, seemingly providing Leinster with some comfort heading into the final 10 minutes. Treviso refused to give up, however, and Hayward sent hooker Davide Giazzon scampering clear to score in the right corner.
The Kiwi fullback was wide with the difficult conversion attempt, but then missed a far more kickable penalty in the 77th minute. Gopperth had his own opportunity to win it at the death, but fired his drop goal wide from 22 metres out.
Treviso scorers:Tries: A Pratichetti, D Budd, M Barbini, D GiazzonConversions: J Hayward [2]
Leinster scorers:
Tries: D Fanning [2], D Kearney, B Byrne
Conversions:J Gopperth [2]
TREVISO: Jayden Hayward; Andrea Pratichetti, Enrico Bacchin, Sam Christie, Ludovico Nitoglia; Joe Carlisle, Alberto Lucchese; Matteo Zanusso, Davide Giazzon, Rupert Harden; Tomas Vallejos, Corniel Van Zyl (capt.); Marco Barbini, Dean Budd, Mat Luamanu.
Replacements: Amar Kudin, Josè Novak, Romulo Acosta, Marco Fuser, Meyer Swanepoel, Leo Auva’a, Ruggero Trevisan, James Ambrosini.
LEINSTER: Zane Kirchner; Darragh Fanning, Brendan Macken, Noel Reid, Dave Kearney; Jimmy Gopperth, Luke McGrath; Michael Bent, Richardt Strauss, Tadhg Furlong; Tom Denton, Kane Douglas; Kevin McLaughlin (capt.), Jordi Murphy, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Bryan Byrne, Peter Dooley, Jamie Hagan, Ben Marshall, Dominic Ryan, Isaac Boss, Cathal Marsh, Mick McGrath.
Leinster remain fifth in the league. Guinness Pro12Guinness Pro12
MOC is a joke shop. That was a decent team and bench and they laboured to a draw against an under strength Treviso. Very poor. Gopps will be gone when his contract expires at the end if this season. Mad dog needs to be the number one 10 now for all games. Gopps has been poor all season. Was patchy lady season with a few decent games notably against castres away but very poor this season.
Madigan on Ireland duty, O’Connor not a player. Treviso bottom of table side. How many Internationals in Leinster side? And they got a 4-try bonus point.
Sums it up, really.
It’s hard to get behind this Leinster side. The D is good, and we have a lot of very good players, but nearly all aspects of their attacking play are sub-standard
Leinster have attacking play? The go-to tactic seems to be give it to Gopperth to kick away. MOC needs to start using his players sensibly. And play Madigan as the first choice 10.
Another setback for Luke….Looks increasingly like his run of injuries is pointing to the early retirement…I hope I’m wrong as he is some player on form.
Poor Luke, the best player never to play. So much promise but his body has never been able to deliver. I wonder how his contract negotiations are going.
Real credits to Treviso for a great performance. Played with the intent Leinster was missing for great periods of the game. An below par outing for Gopperth, hopefully MOC will get to his sensen having seen Madigan against Georgia. Big game next week against Ospreys, no room to lose the match or concede bonuspoints in the proces.
Given how deeply unhappy the vast bulk of the supporters are – and how lacklustre the back play has been this season – MOC must know that his job is in jeopardy. He surely cannot persist with Gopperth ahead of Madigan, if only out of self-preservation. Whatever case there was previously for picking Madigan at 12 due to injuries at centre, he now needs to drop Gopperth & play Madigan at out half.
I don’t rate Gopparth at all but in fairness to him today the ball he was getting McGrath was awful. The majority of passes seemed to be over his head.
That’s the first time this season that Treviso have achieved anything other than being beaten. The excuse that Leinster are missing players is somewhat faulty, as Treviso are themselves without Campagnaro, Morisi, Gori, Zanni, Minto and possibly others.
I always advocate for patience, whether it was during the rocky start to Foley’s tenure, or people in the stands talking rubbish about Lam during the bad patches last season, but O’Connor has done little to convince me he is the man to seriously take Leinster forward. It felt a little like the team almost won last year’s Pro12 on muscle memory. So long as the team and the coach aren’t booed at matches, and the criticism doesn’t turn nasty, I can’t begrudge Leinster fans any anger.
Gopperth had an absolute howler again. Will still keep his place ahead of Madigan though, as MOC arrogance, stubbornness and incompetence grows more are more infuriating.
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If O’connor has any sense whatsoever he will drop gooperth next week and start madigan.
Gopperth is hopeless. Matt O’Connor isnt much better.
MOC is a joke shop. That was a decent team and bench and they laboured to a draw against an under strength Treviso. Very poor. Gopps will be gone when his contract expires at the end if this season. Mad dog needs to be the number one 10 now for all games. Gopps has been poor all season. Was patchy lady season with a few decent games notably against castres away but very poor this season.
Madigan on Ireland duty, O’Connor not a player. Treviso bottom of table side. How many Internationals in Leinster side? And they got a 4-try bonus point.
Sums it up, really.
It’s hard to get behind this Leinster side. The D is good, and we have a lot of very good players, but nearly all aspects of their attacking play are sub-standard
Leinster have attacking play? The go-to tactic seems to be give it to Gopperth to kick away. MOC needs to start using his players sensibly. And play Madigan as the first choice 10.
Another setback for Luke….Looks increasingly like his run of injuries is pointing to the early retirement…I hope I’m wrong as he is some player on form.
Poor Luke, the best player never to play. So much promise but his body has never been able to deliver. I wonder how his contract negotiations are going.
Must be awful for him. Such a talent but seems like he may never fulfil his potential.
The dawning realisation that I now have to go back to watching Leinster faff about under O’Connor. We’ve been spoiled the last 3 weeks!
That’s MOC finished.
Real credits to Treviso for a great performance. Played with the intent Leinster was missing for great periods of the game. An below par outing for Gopperth, hopefully MOC will get to his sensen having seen Madigan against Georgia. Big game next week against Ospreys, no room to lose the match or concede bonuspoints in the proces.
Given how deeply unhappy the vast bulk of the supporters are – and how lacklustre the back play has been this season – MOC must know that his job is in jeopardy. He surely cannot persist with Gopperth ahead of Madigan, if only out of self-preservation. Whatever case there was previously for picking Madigan at 12 due to injuries at centre, he now needs to drop Gopperth & play Madigan at out half.
I don’t rate Gopparth at all but in fairness to him today the ball he was getting McGrath was awful. The majority of passes seemed to be over his head.
That’s the first time this season that Treviso have achieved anything other than being beaten. The excuse that Leinster are missing players is somewhat faulty, as Treviso are themselves without Campagnaro, Morisi, Gori, Zanni, Minto and possibly others.
I always advocate for patience, whether it was during the rocky start to Foley’s tenure, or people in the stands talking rubbish about Lam during the bad patches last season, but O’Connor has done little to convince me he is the man to seriously take Leinster forward. It felt a little like the team almost won last year’s Pro12 on muscle memory. So long as the team and the coach aren’t booed at matches, and the criticism doesn’t turn nasty, I can’t begrudge Leinster fans any anger.
Great to see all four provinces going unbeaten over the weekend!
Gopperth had an absolute howler again. Will still keep his place ahead of Madigan though, as MOC arrogance, stubbornness and incompetence grows more are more infuriating.