United Rugby Championship: Cardiff 20-33 Leinster - league leaders overpower hosts

Leinster returned to the top of the United Rugby Championship table with a bonus-point victory against Cardiff.

Tries from wing Rob Russell and number eight Max Deegan gave Leinster an early 12-point lead.

Two Rhys Carre scores handed Cardiff a three-point half-time advantage.

Leinster forwards took control in the second half with Michael Milne powering over for two tries and John McKee also crossing, while Aled Summerhill gained a late Cardiff consolation.

Leo Cullen's side had temporarily seen Glasgow and Bulls go above them on Saturday but this victory ensured Leinster finished round 11 as league leaders.

The Irish province achieved this five-try success at the Arms Park despite most of their first-team players being absent, away with Andy Farrell's Ireland squad.

Losing a habit for Welsh teams

Wales' four professional teams have suffered another clean sweep of URC defeats this weekend with three losses against Irish provinces, while Warren Gatland's national side have picked up three losses in the opening Six Nations matches.

So for all the narrative of youngsters being given their opportunities and attempts to paint a positive future, the present remains grim.

Cardiff have managed to keep an air of optimism but the cold facts are Matt Sherratt's side have only won three out of 15 games this season, with 11 defeats and a draw. Two of those victories came against the Dragons.

Leinster players celebrate as Michael Milne scores their bonus-point try

Ospreys are the highest Welsh placed side in the URC, lying 10th and the only side with a chance of reaching the play-offs. Cardiff are 12th while Scarlets and Dragons are languishing in 14th and 15th places.

Off the field the season's structure also presents problems. This was Cardiff's penultimate game at the Arms Park in a regular season that ends in June.

The final match at this venue is in eight weeks against Edinburgh with the last home game being played at the Cardiff City Stadium on 1 June as part of the Judgement Day double-header.

Celebrating a milestone

Captain Josh Turnbull, who says he will retire at the end of the season, led the side out with his family as he made his 200th appearance for Cardiff, having joined from Scarlets in 2014, where he also played more than 100 games.

The 35-year-old lined up at lock, while flanker Ellis Jenkins returned from injury and centre Max Clark made his first Cardiff start.

Lock Teddy Williams and hooker Evan Lloyd were not released by Wales, while fellow Six Nations squad member Seb Davies was unavailable because of a minor back injury.

Ireland full-back Jordan Larmour made his 100th Leinster appearance, one of two changes from the side that defeated Benetton with Harry Byrne named at centre.

Cardiff proved early architects of their own downfall when Tinus de Beer's kick was charged down by Jason Jenkins with prop Thomas Clarkson collecting and releasing Russell to score.

Some poor home defence allowed centre Jamie Osborne to carve through to lay the platform for Deegan to wriggle over.

Cardiff number eight Lopeti Timani and full-back Jacob Beetham were both forced off injured and replaced by Alun Lawrence and Willis Halaholo.

Cardiff responded with a De Beer penalty before another attempt from the South African hit the post.

Carre power play

The hosts' opening try came from a well-worked line-out move with prop Carre powering over. De Beer converted before his counter-attacking break provided the springboard for Cardiff's second try.

Thomas Young continued the move and forced Larmour to give away a penalty and pick up a yellow card for a professional foul.

From the resulting penalty, Carre manoeuvred his way over for his second score to give Cardiff a 15-12 half-time lead.

Wales are crying out for big ball-carrying forwards but Gatland continues to ignore Carre's credentials after he was cut from the World Cup training squad last year.

Leinster appeared to have struck back early in the second half with prop Clarkson driving his way over but after the try was initially awarded, the television match official told referee Mike Adamson that Cardiff flanker Young had stopped a grounding.

It merely delayed the inevitable with replacement prop Milne burrowing over and Byrne converting.

Leinster's forward dominance was emphasised when Milne popped up again to secure the bonus-point try before replacement hooker McKee crossed.

Cardiff showed character and class with a well-worked try for Summerhill but it was too little too late.

Cardiff: Jacob Beetham; Owen Lane; Max Clark, Ben Thomas, Aled Summerhill; Tinus de Beer, Ellis Bevan; Rhys Carre, Liam Belcher, Will Davies-King, Shane Lewis-Hughes, Josh Turnbull (capt), Ellis Jenkins, Thomas Young, Lopeti Timani

Replacements: Dafydd Hughes, Rhys Barratt, Ciaran Parker, Ben Donnell, Alun Lawrence, Lucas de la Rua, Matthew Aubrey, Willis Halaholo.

Leinster: Jordan Larmour; Liam Turner, Jamie Osborne, Harry Byrne, Rob Russell; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath; Jack Boyle, Lee Barron, Thomas Clarkson, Ross Molony, Jason Jenkins, Will Connors, Scott Penny (capt), Max Deegan.

Replacements: John McKee, Michael Milne, Michael Ala'alatoa, Brian Deeny, Rhys Ruddock, Ben Murphy, Sam Prendergast, Ben Brownlee.

Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU)

Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse & Ben Breakspear (WRU)

TMO: Dave Sutherland (SRU)