On a weekend when this match was always going to play second fiddle, it was good to see the Leinster Leftovers on song in front of the 10,000 fans willing to sacrifice the Harry Potter premiere.
And even though the form books would have predicted this outcome, I contend that whatever about Michael Cheika’s legendary status around D4, his charges probably wouldn’t have secured the bonus point if the same match were played last year.
Most satisfying try for me was the second, since it came from a kickable penalty which we turned down in favour of a lineout in the Dragons 22.
It’s one thing to show a desire to get the extra point, but it’s another to back it up with a perfectly executed set-piece, and Shaun Berne’s sublime kick to the corner right into Shaggy’s bread-basket (pic) was a joy to behold.
Now let’s be clear…the visitors were all kinds of awful. The Welsh answer to Connacht, they were always going to struggle with the likes of Lydiate and Brew on international duty, and they even found it difficult to play a thwarting game on the night.
Still, the job had to be done, and it took several impressive displays to do it, but as a Leinster fan, given our world famous 12 & 13 who had black things on their minds, you have to applaud Messrs McFadden & O’Malley, the latter of whom was my man of the match.
No disrespect to Shaggs, but his award was a very lazy one. If these occasions are so important to bring on the players of tomorrow as RTEs pundits were at pains to suggest before kickoff, then maybe they should be rewarding those prospects when they’ve earned it. Not only was O’Malley instrumental the all important fourth try, he was tenacious in the tackle and secured some vital turnovers.
Honourable mention should also go to Mike Ross, for coming on and steadying our scrum. Sure, new signing Clint Newland is a beast of a prop, but even when Cian Healy returns to the squad it will be hard to argue against VDM, Strauss & Ross forming our Heineken Cup front row.
Another thing we learned was just how vital Richardt Strauss is to our squad. John Fogarty’s tragic retirement has thrust Jason Harris-Wright into the spotlight ahead of schedule and particularly in the area of darts he just isn’t ready yet. Coach Schmidt may have an embarrassment of riches at other positions, but with the vital home-and-away series with Clermont on the horizon he will have to manage his hooker position carefully.
But on an occasion that was sandwiched between the doom of Ireland’s economic woes and the gloom of the prospect of a hammering by the All Blacks, Friday night’s outing in Ballsbridge was a refreshing bonus for the weekend, even more so because it put us back in the top four of the Magners League where we belong.
