LEINSTER’S YOUNGSTERS PRODUCED a remarkable fightback to preserve the province’s unbeaten season with a 39-36 win against the Emirates Lions at Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg.
With the scores somehow tied at 36 apiece at the 80-minute mark, after the siren had rung, debutant Sam Prendergast capped a man-of-the-match performance by kicking the winning penalty from close range after a brilliant 50-22 by fullback Chris Cosgrave had taken Leinster to the Lions’ line.
Playing away at Emirates Airline Park is not for the faint-hearted on account of the altitude. In difficult conditions, in front of a hostile Johannesburg crowd, and in the face of a Lions side that dominated them for large spells, Leinster showed tremendous character to seize victory from the jaws of defeat.
It was the visitors who set the frenetic pace for the match when they opened the scoring through Georgian international Vakh Abdaladze, and that tempo didn’t abate until after the game’s brilliant final try by Cosgrave which allowed Leinster to pull level at 36 each in the dying minutes of the game. Liam Turner, Michael Milne and Rob Russell also crossed the line for the eastern province.
Leo Cullen’s side showed what resilience looked like, emerging victorious despite the Lions breaching their inexperienced defensive line four times — and once more via a penalty try.
Leinster had dominance in possession for much of the game and were typically quick with the ball in hand, whereas the Lions maintained physical dominance until the final quarter, leading at one stage in the second half by 15 points.
Prendergast kept things ticking for the visitors, showing plenty of glimpses of the talents he paraded throughout Ireland U20s’ Grand Slam campaign.
The score at the interval was 26-14 to the hosts but Leinster refused to throw in the towel even when the deficit was at three scores, and when they were reduced 13 men for a period after Nick McCarthy and Cosgrave were each sin-binned for deliberate knock-ons.
Victory means Leinster remain undefeated in the United Rugby Championship — and in general — this season. Their final regular-season fixture of the season takes place next weekend against the Bulls in Pretoria.
Leinster scorers:
Tries: Vakhtang Abdaladze, Liam Turner, Michael Milne, Rob Russell, Chris Cosgrave
Conversions: Sam Prendergast (4/5)
Penalties: Prendergast (2/2)
Written by The42 Team
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