Leinster 45 The Scarlets 8

Heineken Cup finalists Leinster had no hangover from last Saturday’s fantastic win over Munster as they destroyed The Scarlets 45-8 at The RDS to move up to second place in The Magners League on Friday evening.

Luke Fitzgerald (2), Shane Horgan (2), Brian O’Driscoll, the brilliant Jonathan Sexton and replacement Girvan Dempsey all crossed the line in a one-sided affair that leaves the Welsh side in danger of missing out on automatic HEC qualification for next season.

Mark Jones did manage a first-half try for The Scarlets but Friday was an evening that, in truth, they will just want to forget after being torn apart in Dublin.

Sexton’s inclusion in Michael Cheika’s starting XV was one of only two changes from the side that started the semi-final success over Munster last Saturday. He was in to take over kicking duties from the iconic, but injured, Felipe Contepomi, but made a bad start to it as his first penalty attempt, which was by no means a difficult chance, rebounded back off the post.

However, it was not too long before Sexton was putting together a man-of-the-match showing and the Murrayfield-bound hosts made it onto the scoresheet.

The visiting defense was ripped apart after a scrum option from a penalty. Horgan collected and chose Isa Nacewa of the two options to his left. The former Fijian international could have gone for the line himself but he in turn went left to Fitzgerald, who had no shortage of time to touch down. Sexton’s conversion was inch-perfect from close to the line and it was 7-0.

It was not too long before Sexton was making it 14-0. In the interim, Stephen Jones missed a penalty for The Scarlets. He and they were soon punished as a rapid-fire training ground move saw the ball travel from Chris Whitaker to Nacewa via the impressive Sexton. Nacewa then fed Horgan, who had no challengers as he bounded to the line for the home side’s second try.

Daniel Evans took over kicking duties from Stephen Jones to get Nigel Davies’ men off the mark with a penalty and things began to go against Leinster just a little when shortly after that Sexton, who had been doing so well his missed penalty apart, was sent to the bin for kicking the ball out of touch while on the ground.

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Nster.com