WE’RE AT THE RDS for Leinster’s RaboDirect Pro12 meeting with the Glasgow Warriors.
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the match. E-mail ben@thescore.ie, tweet @thescore_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.
Leinster 17-15 Glasgow Warriors
Welcome along, folks. After Ulster’s 28-17 victory over Scarlets at Ravenhill last night, we’re at the RDS for the second RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final as Leinster host the Glasgow Warriors.
Kick-off is just 15 minutes away. Who do you fancy to book their place in the final on May 25?
Here are the teams:
Leinster XV: R Kearney, F McFadden, B O’Driscoll, G D’Arcy, I Nacewa; J Sexton, I Boss: C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross; L Cullen (C); K McLaughlin, S O’Brien/ S Jennings, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin, J McGrath, J Hagan, Q Roux, S Jennings, R Ruddock, J Cooney, I Madigan, A Conway.
Warriors XV: S Hogg, S Maitland, S Lamont, A Dunbar, DTH van der Merwe; P Horne, N Matawalu: R Grant, P MacArthur, J Welsh; T Swinson, A Kellock; J Strauss, J Barclay, R Wilson.
Replacements: F Brown, M Low,E Kalman, Ryder, R Harley, H Pyrgos, R Jackson, M Bennett.
The players are on their way out in the middle of a sun shower in Dublin 4. We’re about to get going.
The boots of Stuart Hogg gets the game up and running.
After early pressure from the visitors, they come within yards of an opening try but concede a penalty for holding on and Leinster get out of jail.
Bad news. Brian O’Driscoll is down receiving treatment. It doesn’t look good as he hobbles off the pitch.
Penalty Leinster and it’s Sexton to take.
The Racing Metro-bound fly-half steps up but kicks wide of the mark with the evening sun in his eyes.
Leinster 3-0 Glasgow Warriors – Sexton is able to make up for the earlier miss by scoring the first points of the evening.
O’Driscoll is unable to continue, however, and is off with Andrew Conway taking his place.
TRY – Glasgow Warriors 7-3 Leinster
After a check with the TMO, Niko’s Matawalu try is awarded with Hogg getting the conversion.
It appears that Glasgow may have gone over for a second try and, once again, video assistance is called upon. This time it’s no good thanks to super saving tackle from Rob Kearney.
Glasgow Warriors 10-3 Leinster – Hogg strikes well to hand Glasgow a seven-point cushion with 25 minutes gone.
TRY – Glasgow Warriors 10-8 Leinster - Jamie Heaslip breaks off the maul and dives between two opponents to score.
Sexton misses with the conversion.
Leinster 11-10 Glasgow Warriors – The home team take the lead from a Sexton penalty.
Glasgow number 9 Matawalu, meanwhile, is off to the sin bin after receiving a yellow card. Josh Strauss has been replaced by Rob Harley.
Great chance for Leinster but Nacewa can’t capitalise on a kicked pass with acres of space in front of him. He allows the ball to bounce awkwardly and it bobbles out of play.
Half-time: Leinster 11-10 Glasgow Warriors
Watch the first try of the day while you’re waiting for the game to restart:
YouTube credit: RaboDirectPRO12
And we’re back. Sean Cronin has been introduced, with Richardy Strauss making way.
Leinster probing and Kearney goes for the grubber kick. No nonsense from Stuart Hogg, who boots the ball behind.
Well short of capacity tonight:
Both sides going toe-to-toe with Leinster still up by a single point. Sean Cronin dishes out a big tackle, then team-mate Fergus McFadden takes a knock and looks to be in a bit of trouble.
Camera cuts to Ian Madigan warming up on the sideline.
Andrew Conway puts on the afterburners after a pass out wide from Cronin but play is brought back for a forward pass.
A couple of changes to report – Ruaridh Jackson on for Sean Maitland for Glasgwo, while Jamie Hagan takes the place of Mike Ross.
Leinster 14-10 Glasgow Warriors – Sexton with the penalty kick and Leinster open up a three-point gap.
Sexton’s latest effort comes back off the post and Nacewa can’t keep hold of the ball when it comes back out.
More injury worries for Leinster as Gordan D’Arcy is carried off with Madigan joining the action.
Leinster 17-10 Glasgow Warriors – Sexton from near halfway with 69 minutes on the clock.
Leinster 17-15 Glasgow Warriors – Warriors take a penalty quickly and Mark Bennett goes over to bring Glasgow to within two points of Leinster. Hogg’s conversion is no good and the home crowd welcomes the miss with a roar.
Full-time: Leinster 17-15 Glasgow Warriors
The clock strikes 89 minutes and Sexton boots the ball into touch. Glasgow were impressive this evening and Leinster will rue injuries to O’Driscoll and D’Arcy but the win means they will be back here (as the away team) to take on Ulster in a fortnight.
That’s me signing off. Thanks for the company.
