Heineken Champions Cup: Leinster beat Gloucester 49-14 to reach last 16

Jamie Osborne impressed in front of Ireland coaches Mike Catt and Simon Easterby

Leinster booked their spot in the last 16 of the Heineken Champions Cup by hammering Gloucester 49-14 at Kingsholm.

Jordan Larmour, Michael Ala'alatoa, Jamie Osborne and Caelan Doris secured a first-half bonus point for Leinster, who led 28-7 at the break.

Ireland internationals Hugo Keenan, Josh van der Flier and Ronan Kelleher added further tries in the second half.

Gloucester's scores came via a penalty try in each half.

The victory confirmed unbeaten Leinster's qualification for the knockout stages with a game to spare, while Gloucester's hopes of progression will hang on their final Pool A match against Bordeaux Begles in France next Saturday.

Leinster won the reverse fixture 57-0 against an under-strength Gloucester in Dublin, and it took just three minutes for the Irish province to make their mark against a much-stronger Gloucester team when Larmour darted over unchallenged after relentless pressure in the early stages.

Osborne's superb break, in front of watching Ireland coaches Mike Catt and Simon Easterby before Thursday's Six Nations squad announcement, saw Seb Atkinson sent to the bin, and Leinster immediately capitalised when prop Ala'alatoa dotted down.

Gloucester, to their credit, put pressure on the Leinster line. Prop Val Rapava-Ruskin powered over with a pick-and-go but was held up by a number of blue shirts.

The hosts got their reward when Andrew Porter brought down a rolling maul, which led to a penalty try and the prop being shown a yellow card.

Gloucester's hope lasted a matter of minutes when Osborne danced his way around a number of pink jerseys with some quick feet before diving over to restore a two-try margin between the sides.

Leinster secured the bonus point with the clock six minutes into the red when, in similar fashion to Ala'alatoa's try, a tap-and-go penalty resulted in Doris crashing over on the final play of the half.

Ireland second row James Ryan broke through the home defence six minutes into the second half, Ross Byrne's clever flick found Keenan in space, and the full-back out-paced George Barton on the touchline to score on his 50th appearance for Leinster.

Gloucester were awarded a second penalty try with 16 minutes to play when Doris brought down a rolling maul and the second row was shown a yellow card.

However, just like in the first half, Leinster struck with 14 players when 2022 World Rugby player of the year Van der Flier burrowed over the line.

Fly-half Santiago Carreras was sent to the bin in the closing stages for a deliberate knock-on and Kelleher capitalised with Leinster's eighth try.

Gloucester: Barton; May, Harris, Atkinson, Thorley; Carreras, Meehan; Rapava-Ruskin, McGuigan, Gotovtsev, Clarke, Alemanno, Ackermann, Ludlow (capt), Morgan.

Replacements: Blake, Elrington, Knight, Jordan, Clement, Varney, Twelvetrees, Seabrook.

Leinster: Keenan; Larmour, Ringrose (capt), Osborne, O'Brien; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Ala'alatoa, Molony, Ryan, Baird, Van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Kelleher, Milne, Healy, Deeny, Conan, McCarthy, Byrne, Turner.

Referee: Pierre Brousset (France).

Assistant referees: Vincent Blasco Baque and Flavien Hourquet (both France).

TMO: Denis Grenouillet (France).