Heineken Champions Cup: Leinster secure bonus-point 35-14 win in Montpellier

Ireland international Caelan Doris started at number eight for Leinster

Leinster ran in five tries as they secured a bonus-point 35-14 win over Montpellier in their opening pool game of the Heineken Champions Cup campaign.

Josh van der Flier, Ciaran Frawley and Dave Kearney touched down as Leinster went in 20-6 to the good at half-time.

Dan Leavy and Jimmy O'Brien crossed in the second half, with Gabriel Ngandebe scoring Montpellier's only try.

Ross Byrne and Harry Byrne kicked a penalty and a conversion apiece, Benoit Paillaugue landing three penalties.

The Irish province's victory continues an impressive run of results on the road in Europe's premier competition, with just one defeat now in their last 12 away fixtures.

Last year's beaten finalists will host Northampton Saints next Saturday as they continue their bid to again reach the knockout phase of the tournament.

Leinster took their seven-match unbeaten record in the Pro14 into their latest European campaign and selected Irish stars Johnny Sexton and James Ryan on the bench. Sexton pulled out of the game at the last minute and was replaced by Harry Byrne, younger brother of starting number 10 Ross.

The four-time champions, who lost to Saracens in the last eight of last season's tournament, got off to the perfect start with a try after only five minutes at the GGL Stadium.

European debutant Frawley among Leinster try-scorers

A strong scrum allowed Luke McGrath to break into the home 22 and quickly-recycled ball provided space for it to be sent wide to the right, where flanker Van der Flier popped up on the wing to cross in the corner.

Ross Byrne was unable to add the extras, but he did hit the mark five minutes later after Van der Flier had turned over Jacques du Plessis on the Montpellier 22.

Leinster's strong ball-carrying and aggressive defence knocked the hosts out of their usually fluent stride, but they did finally get off the mark in the 21st minute when Paillaugue kicked a penalty given against James Tracy.

Leinster immediately went back on the offensive and some strong close-quarter carries got them to within 10 metres. They had penalty advantage but did not need it as skipper Rhys Ruddock took a blindside pass, took out the final defender and sent Frawley in at the left corner to score on his first start in Europe.

Once again Byrne was unable to convert and that allowed Paillaugue to cut the gap to one score when he knocked over his second penalty with 32 minutes gone, after powerhouse French international lock Paul Willemse had made the first real dent in the visiting defence.

Leinster finished the first half with a flourish when left wing Kearney raced onto a superb cross-field kick by Byrne following a thrust by Van der Flier. The ball bounced up into the arms of the wing and his try was then improved by Byrne to make it 20-6 at the break.

Bonus point secured

Paillaugue's third penalty of the night off the 10-metre line three minutes into the second half gave the home side something to build on and it was a much more even contest in the second half.

Leo Cullen brought on four Irish front-five starters early in the third quarter and they got back into the game to score two more tries.

The bonus point came from flanker Leavy in his first European outing since the quarter-final in 2019 and then Jimmy O'Brien raced 25 metres in the last move of the match to round things off.

Harry Byrne, who replaced his elder brother, added the final conversion after his earlier penalty.

Montpellier's only try came from wing Ngandebe.

Montpellier: Rattez; Ngandebe, Reilhac, Vincent (capt), Martin; Lozowski, Paillaugue; Fichten, Guirado, Haouas, Chalureau, Willemse, Van Rensburg, Camara, J du Plessis.

Replacements: B du Plessis, Forletta, Lamositele, Picamoles, Timu, Foursans, Vallee, Bevia.

Leinster: O'Brien; Keenan, Henshaw, Frawley, Kearney; R Byrne, McGrath; Dooley, Tracy, Bent, Toner, Fardy, Ruddock (capt), Van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Kelleher, Healy, Porter, Ryan, Baird, Gibson-Park, H Byrne, Leavy.

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