Cullen Concern For Larmour After Leinster Pass Treviso Test

Jordan Larmour has emerged as a big injury doubt for Ireland’s upcoming internationals, following his shoulder injury during Leinster’s 37-25 bonus point win away to Benetton Rugby in the Guinness PRO14.

Larmour sustained the injury in the 48th minute when making a tackle, and looked in a lot of discomfort when he came off. Both his provincial and national coaches will be eagerly awaiting his scan results back in Dublin.

Speaking afterwards, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said: “Jordan’s taken a pretty heavy bang to his shoulder. We’ll get him assessed, you can see he was in a fair bit of discomfort there and stayed down for a while. Don’t know the full extent of it yet, but we’ll get him checked and scanned when we get back.”

It took James Ryan’s close-range drive for the try-line in the 78th minute to clinch a bonus point victory for the defending PRO14 champions, who had led 20-13 at half-time courtesy of converted tries from James Tracy and James Lowe.

The three-try Italians gave as good as they got, hanging in there despite the concession of a penalty try on the hour mark. Gianmarco Lucchesi’s maul try made it a five-point game before Ryan secured the result, with man-of-the-match Ross Byrne finishing with 15 points.

Cullen added: “It kinda played out like a lot of our games over here against Treviso have in the past – very physical affairs and a bit tit-for-tat during various stages in the game. And it was about making sure we took our chances when they came along.

“Overall, we’re pleased to get a win and pleased to get a bonus point win as well. I think Treviso will probably feel hard done by that they didn’t get anything from the game themselves.

“There’s plenty of bits of the performance that we need to improve upon. We have a huge chunk of guys that will go away to Irish camp and I think it’s a great reflection for all the work that goes on all across the province – from clubs and schools up – to get that many players selected.”

Initially, a bout of keep-ball stretched Benetton, Ed Byrne popping up in the outside channel before hooker Epalahame Faiva was penalised for a late tackle into the ribs of Ross Byrne and the Leinster out-half kicked an opening second-minute penalty.

Paolo Garbisi brought Benetton level three minutes later, rewarding the efforts of number 8 Toa Halafihi in winning the decision. In response, Ed Byrne outscrummaged Tizano Pisquali and the penalty was turned into three more points by Ross Byrne.

Referee Ben Whitehouse soon reached for his yellow card as Iliesa Ratuva’s one-handed slap down was deemed deliberate. However, a Leinster offside on the quarter-hour mark allowed Garbisi to kick the hosts level.

Leinster went to the corner from their next penalty, Ryan Baird securing the lineout possession and hooker Tracy was in a textbook position to score from the maul. Byrne angled over the conversion for a 13-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Benetton followed Leinster’s example in going to the corner, Baird giving away a penalty for his sack on Sebastian Negri, and the former’s second row partner Ryan compounded this with another indiscretion for a yellow card.

This time, Baird intervened to claim Faiva’s throw, only for Leinster to be driven over for the concession of a five-metre scrum. There was another penalty on the way when Benetton’s Negri had enough momentum, through Tracy’s tackle, to reach out for the try.

Although Garbisi’s conversion levelled matters, 14-man Leinster put on another spurt before the interval. Will Connors’ offload was the key ingredient in getting them in behind the stubborn Benetton defence.

Leinster probed patiently on two separate occasions, with Hugo Keenan and Jamison Gibson-Park involved before Lowe shot through a hole – from the scrum half’s pass – and beyond Garbisi to touch down. Byrne’s conversion took it out to 20-13.

There was a lot to like about the intensity Benetton brought to the second period. Leinster’s indiscipline came back to haunt them again, the home side smelling blood from another penalty tucked away towards the corner.

The Italians’ maul was dominant and hooker Faiva found the whitewash to narrow the deficit to just two points. Leinster were looking ragged in defence and were soon working without injured winger Larmour.

It was turning into a battle for territory and Ross Byrne pinned Benetton back with a diagonal ball inside the 22. Gibson-Park repeated the strategy, lock Baird’s counter ruck causing enough havoc to draw a penalty.

Cullen’s men went into their close driving game as Jack Conan had multiple carriers to take play within five metres of the line where Ryan made an uncharacteristic handling error.

The introduction of Cian Healy and Sean Cronin coincided with a scrum penalty and, then, a second shove that earned a penalty try when Conan could not apply downward pressure. Leinster had some breathing space again at 27-18.

The impact of Henshaw in contact and in rescuing a dangerous chip was enhanced by interplay between Keenan and replacement Luke McGrath up the left, Ross Byrne stretching the lead to 12 points in the 64th minute.

There was a sense it was a big enough advantage for Leinster to see it through to the finish. They still had to be wary of the tackle-beating power of Ratuva on the right and Monty Ioane on the other flank.

A high tackle from Ryan gave Benetton what they were looking for – a route to the corner flag. The visitors were illegal against the first maul and, from the second one, replacement hooker Lucchesi had the strength to make the line.

Garbisi’s extras meant there was just an unconverted between them. But, not for long. A tremendous chase of Ross Byrne’s restart by Jimmy O’Brien forced a lineout and patience was the virtue from which Ryan’s burrowing match winner accrued.