Penny Shines As Six-Try Leinster Wear Down Warriors

Scott Penny picked up two more tries in a player-of-the-match performance as Leinster stayed on course for the Guinness PRO14 final with a 40-21 bonus point win over Glasgow Warriors.

One of the key moments at the RDS came in the 37th minute when Glasgow out-half Adam Hastings was sent off. Catching a high ball, an airborne Hastings raised his lead leg and his boot made contact with Cian Kelleher’s face.

Glasgow had already had Cole Forbes sin-binned earlier on for a tackle in the air. That also gave Leinster a penalty try, and converted scores from Harry Byrne and Penny (2) made it 28-7 at half-time.

Yet, quick-fire tries from Rufus McLean (41 minutes) and Huw Jones (49) had 14-man Glasgow right back in it, adding to flanker Tom Gordon’s effort on the quarter hour mark.

Leinster were not to be denied, especially after TJ Ioane’s 70th-minute sin-binning. Closing tries from captain Luke McGrath and Kelleher sealed a deserved victory.

In the province’s first home outing since early January, impressive out-half Byrne touched down after just two minutes, and it was his cross-field kick which led to winger Forbes taking out Kelleher for the penalty try.

14-man Glasgow bounced back with Jones breaking two tackles and flanker Gordon brilliantly holding onto the centre’s low pass to score.

The 14-point gap was re-established by the end of the first quarter, with Penny barging over from close range. Byrne converted for a 21-7 lead.

Due to Scotland’s postponed clash with France, Glasgow welcomed back nine players from national camp, and the likes of Jones, Forbes and McLean all threatened on breaks.

Nonetheless, Leinster’s defence was resolute – late call-up Jamie Osborne stood up well in midfield – and with Hastings soon dismissed for dangerous play, the Scots were regularly under pressure.

They suffered a further blow just before the break when Penny, in his first senior game in the number 8 role, took a quick tap to bag the bonus point. The conversion was tagged on by David Hawkshaw, who had replaced head injury victim Byrne.

However, on the restart, 14-man Glasgow’s revival was sparked by a terrific Grant Stewart burst, with the hooker’s offload putting McLean over for his first senior score.

Replacement Ross Thompson converted with aplomb and also added the extras to Jones’ try, the centre showing impressive strength to ground the ball under a pile of bodies.

It was not until replacement Ioane’s binning for a dangerous clear-out on Jimmy O’Brien that Leinster could regain control.

Hawkshaw slid a penalty wide, but O’Brien and Kearney then combined to put McGrath over in the left corner. Hawkshaw converted and a sixth try followed in the 76th minute, O’Brien releasing Kelleher to finish off a counter attack.

Leinster boss Leo Cullen admitted afterwards that it was ‘a pretty mixed performance bar the first quarter’. The positives on the night included Penny’s two-try display and the debut of 20-year-old Academy forward Alex Soroka.

“The guys started the game with great intent,” said Cullen. “We had disruptions to deal with before the game (with Ciaran Frawley’s withdrawal during the warm-up), so overall to get the win and the bonus point was very encouraging.

“The critical period of the game, just after half-time, we allowed Glasgow to gain momentum. Our discipline was not great. They scored two tries and suddenly it was game-on even though they had 14 men.

“I thought the guys showed good composure to turn that around which was pleasing. We move on to the next challenge. Next week’s game away to Ulster is a huge one for us.”

Commenting on influential back rower Penny, he added: “He is a great footballer, Scott. He is lethal from three metres out and it was good to see him get in for a couple of tries.”