Wasps 20
Leinster 20
Murray Kinsella reports from the Ricoh Arena
LEINSTER SURVIVED A late scare in Coventry to secure the 20-20 draw that sees them top Pool 2 of the Champions Cup and advance into the quarter-finals of the European competition.
Second-half collapse saw Leinster give up a 20-6 lead, but Andy Goode’s last-gasp drop goal attempt to win the encounter for Wasps sailed wide of the posts to ensure Matt O’Connor’s men survived.
Ian Madigan had a 77th-minute opportunity to push Leinster in front from a long-range penalty, but the inside centre’s poor day with the boot [two penalties from six attempts] continued.
O’Connor’s men had looked back to somewhere near their best in an excellent first-half display, but the lack of composure and leadership when Wasps turned up the heat after the interval was worrying.
Despite the dramatic ending, a draw means Leinster are not yet out of the running for a home quarter-final. Bonus point wins for Bath at home against Glasgow [with a 14-point winning margin] or Toulouse away to Montpellier would mean O’Connor’s men having to travel for their knock-out tie.
Wasps made a disastrous start to the game when wild-haired flanker Ashley Johnson recklessly ran through Dave Kearney as the Leinster wing rose to gather the opening kick-off. Referee Jérôme Garcès paused briefly to check with his TMO before sending Johnson to the bin with just 24 seconds on the clock.
Leinster didn’t hang around in turning their numerical advantage into points as sustained period of pressure in the Wasps 22 ended with superb hands from Jamie Heaslip, Ian Madigan and Rob Kearney freeing Fergus McFadden to dive over in the right corner.
Madigan’s touchline conversion sent O’Connor’s men 7-0 in front in just the fourth minute of play, but Wasps hit back immediately when Sean Cronin was unluckily caught offside after a spilled ball and Andy Goode slotted the penalty.
Leinster looked hugely threatening as their scrum and line-out provided some high-quality first-phase possession, but two misses off the tee from Madigan – the second of them very kickable – meant they could not extend their lead.
However, another dashing attacking from the backline on an old-school Leinster loop play allowed Rob Kearney to burst back into Wasps’ 22 shortly after, with Madigan darting close to the tryline before his forwards hammered the home side’s defence.
Wasps were penalised for stepping offside and Madigan made amends for his earlier misses to put Leinster 10-3 up with 21 minutes on the clock.
Leinster continued to surge forward despite losing Eoin Reddan to injury, with Jordi Murphy influencing proceedings notably. The openside flanker burst through in midfield to lay the foundation for Leinster’s next score, taking Gopperth’s short pass and scything 30 metres upfield.
Luke Fitzgerald carried next, but Wasps tighthead Lorenzo Cittadini failed to roll awy and Garcès lost patience, sending the Italian to the sin bin. With Madigan receiving treatment, Gopperth slotted the penalty for a 13-3 lead.
Cronin was again the route of Wasps’ second score, judging the ball to be out of the ruck and racing to grab it from under the nose of Joe Simpson, but Garcès had other ideas.
Goode made it 13-6 heading for the break, although Leinster weren’t finished just yet.
A powerful surge from McFadden from more clean line-out possession got Leinster on the front foot, before another loop play brought them towards the tryline. Cronin was held up short, and Isaac Boss – on for Reddan – scooped the pill of the floor and dotted down.
Play actually moved away to the right, where Gopperth thought he had scored, but TMO Herve Dubes ruled that Boss had indeed grounded the ball legally. Madigan converted for the second time.
There was time for more action before the interval, as Kane Douglas saw yellow for a shoulder up arond Johnson’s face off the ball. The Leinster lock got 10 minutes to cool off, but Goode missed an easy shot at goal to leave the visitors 20-6 to the good at the break.
O’Connor’s side had an early second-half chance to put themselves in an even more dominant position as they burst into Wasps’ 22, but crossing from Devin Toner in front of Michael Bent halted the promising passage.
Wasps took encouragement from that survival and built into the game, Johnson and number eight Nathan Hughes making the hard yards as the likes of Christian Wade and Elliot Daly saw more of the ball in the wider channels.
Tom Varndell had a try ruled out after 49 minutes, with Hughes penalised for crassing as Leinster looked to scramble across and tackle the Wasps wing into touch.
Indeeed, Leinster defended manfully, with McFadden making a number of smashing tackles. But Dai Young’s side had the scent of a comeback in their nostrils and came in waves at the Leinster tryline.
Rob Kearney was pinged for not supporting his body weight as he jackled inthe 60th minute, allowing Goode to kick into the corner. The Wasps maul went close, before prop Matt Mullan burrowed over from close range, although the grounding looked dubious.
Goode slotted the extra two points to draw the English side to 20-13 and suddenly Leinster suddently appeared to be utterly lacking in mental steel. Kicks out on the full, a new-found bluntness in attack and forward passes conspired to heap the pressure on.
Wasps worked their way back into the left-hand corner with 69 minutes gone, where a clever shift maul brought them to within a metre. Hughes took responsiblity and cleverly dived over to score.
Goode’s first conversion attemp struck the post, but Darragh Fanning had led an early blockdown attempt, meaning Garcès allowed the Wasps’ 10 a second chance. The former England international made no mistake to level the score and send us into the frenetic endgame.
Wasps scorers:
Tries: Matt Mullan, Nathan Hughes
Conversions: Andy Goode [2 from 2]
Penalties: Andy Goode [2 from 3]
Leinster scorers:
Tries: Fergus McFadden, Isaac Boss
Conversions: Ian Madigan [2 from 2]
Penalties: Ian Madigan [2 from 6], Jimmy Gopperth [1 from 1]
WASPS: Rob Miller (Andrea Masi ’61); Christian Wade, Elliot Daly, Ben Jacobs (Alex Lozowski ’77), Tom Varndell; Andy Goode, Joe Simpson; Matt Mullan (Simon McIntyre ’73), Edd Shervington (Carlo Festuccia ’57), Lorenzo Cittadini (yellow card ’30 to ’40); Bradley Davies, James Gaskell (Kearnan Myall ’58); Ashley Johnson (yellow card ’1 to ’12) (Jake Cooper-Woolley ’49), James Haskell (capt.), Nathan Hughes (Jake Cooper-Woolley ’36 to ’40).
Replacements not used: Guy Thompson, Ed Jackson.
LEINSTER: Rob Kearney; Fergus McFadden (Darragh Fanning ’5), Luke Fitzgerald, Ian Madigan, Dave Kearney; Jimmy Gopperth, Eoin Reddan (Isaac Boss ’27); Michael Bent, Sean Cronin (Richardt Strauss ’63), Marty Moore (Tadhg Furlong ’63); Devin Toner, Kane Douglas (yellow card ’40 to ’50) (Mike McCarthy ’72); Dominic Ryan, Jordi Murphy, Jamie Heaslip (capt.) (Jack Conan ’65).
Replacements not used: Jamie Hagan, Gordon D’Arcy.
Referee: Jérôme Garcès.
To be honest if we play as bad as that 2nd half,I really don’t think it will matter who we have
Probably going to be toulouse either home or away
I’d defo take Toulouse home or away. Dreadful second half, we just sat back and went back into our shell. People criticise Madigan’s game management but Gopperts was atrocious in the second half, consistently poor kicking.
if toulouse and leinster both finish on 20 pts what does it come down to?
Not too sure if it’s points difference or tries scored. Pretty sure leinster are well ahead in both
bath are in the equation aswell because if they get a bonus point win at home to glasgow more then likely they would top the group and get the home advantage.
leinster will have home quarter final if bath and toulouse both dont get bonus point wins
The first half was like stepping back in time to the schmidt era, we dominated every aspect of the game, possession, territory,set pieces but then the second half came and brought us all back down to earth and the O’connor era. Awful second half. One the plus side Fitzgerald had another great game especially in defence in the second half, if he stays fit, at this rate he will be one of the first names on the joe’s team sheet.
Not trolling but it’s easy to dominate when it’s 14 v 15 for 20 mins of the first half
Normally I would agree but leinster have been that bad for parts of the season where a yellow card for the opposition has done us no good, in particular the Munster match in the Aviva, Munster had two or three yellow cards and Leinster looked clueless how to take advantage, today it was different when wasps got yellows card, we got good field position which in turn led to points. Also they had two forwards yellow carded so they still had a full back line and our back line actually showed some creativity for the second week in a row which is something that hasn’t really happened since O’connor took over.
Terrific first half, we were creamed by a good side in the second. But at least we’re in the quarters in spite of all the injuries/retirements etc. And we’re still in line for a last 4 place in the league. Let’s get behind them now
Over the past few weeks we have kept the ball and played really good rugby.
In the second half Boss and gopperth for some unknown reason decided that wasps had defended long enough and kicked the ball to them allowing them back into the game.
Douglas’s sinbin – criminal
Madigan missing so many kicks – not good enough.
Leinster not converting line breaks inside the 22 into tries is also very poor.
JG drop goal and kicking the ball dead – lazy to say the least
Not having a scrum half on the bench or any attacking players to change the game was just poor management.
We are in the next round but the second half we played as poorly as we have done all season.
You did have scrum halves and attacking players on the bench. However you were required to use them due to injuries in tje first half.
Not quite sure how the Leinster coaching team can conjure up some extra guys in second half.
As soon as I saw Boss come on I was worried. Shouldn’t be in the Leinster (or Ireland) squads. Not enough height on his box kicks (of distance). More often than not puts a couple out on the full. McGrath would’ve been a like for like with Redden. The accidental offside in the 41st min when we were pretty much over the line was so so costly. All this not helped by Madigan having a very rare off day. Also no doubt it should’ve been a red in the 1st 15 seconds
Agree 100% Chris
Dreadful game management again from Madigan, would really worry about his decision making if he’s to play for Ireland particularly at 10. Definitely isn’t international and can never perform at anything above mid-table Pro 12 level.
Gopparth was at 10 today Rochelle, nice try, the quality of your trolling just isn’t what it used to be. Maybe you should register under a different name and start afresh, might inspire you to greater things
Rochelle, talking out of your ass as usual.
Think you should worry more about Keatley!
James, I think you have firmly put Rochelle back in his box. Nice one.
Ah good oul rochelle, who hates dublin and leinster, getting bored of your consistent trolling now, time to man up and stop being so jealous!
Rochelle at least he’s playing in the knockout rounds so he’ll get practice at a high level. Sexton is Ireland’s 10 madigan is the best back up we have.
But then if he moved to Munster he’d be a superstar
Jaysus. Madigan needs a chat with the Enda brain dude again about pressure. Gopperth looked like doing his new team mates a favour and kicking it away in a way that we nor Ross O Carroll Kelly would have seen since Michaels lost that thrown game in the quarters to Castlerock in 91, only for the 10 to sidle up to Fr Fehilly in the clubhouse after le match. Needless to say he was told to f0ck himself.
Mads and Gopperth glued together wouldn’t make a Rog or Sexton. Poor I’m afraid. Honestly , the 9 & 10 role is now a !problem! after each performance hinting at it for last 5 matches. This team is missing cohesion and a plan that can work around poir 9 & 10. Until sexton returns and a 9 is found bought or stolen…I’m worried. That’s from an optimist. The 9 is the most important if Mads is where he’s at. But respect to all nonetheless. … easy to talk eh?
RangeR, who are “Castlerock” and you sure can spout nonsense.
That was my green thumb ;-)
Gary loves inverted commas, but not question marks. Double standards from the punctuation police.
Mads still to start 10 v Italy tho
I suppose get out the rosary beads and hope Toulouse or Toulon screw up in their pools? Can’t see Leinster surviving another trip to the Stade Mayol in a QF.