Leinster beat Connacht to maintain 100% record
Leinster try-scorer RG Snyman offloads the ball during the game in Galway
- Published
Connacht (5) 12
Tries: O'Brien, Forde Cons: Ioane
Leinster (21) 33
Tries: J Osborne, Turner, Snyman, Deegan, A Osborne Cons: Frawley, R Byrne 3
Leinster maintained their 100% record in the United Rugby Championship, making it five bonus-point wins from five games as they saw off a battling Connacht side 33-12 at the Sportsground in Galway.
The victors scored five tries to their opponents' two.
The win moves Leo Cullen's team seven points clear at the top of the table, while Connacht, who also lost to Ulster last week, sit seventh.
Jamie Osborne, Liam Turner and RG Snyman went over in the first half to help their side to a 21-5 half-time lead, with Sean O'Brien scoring Connacht's first-half try.
Max Deegan went over after the break and Andrew Osborne grabbed try number five after Cathal Forde had touched down for the spirited home side.
Leinster make fast start
Leinster started the stronger and were rewarded in the seventh minute when centre Jamie Osborne crashed over from short range to put his side ahead, Ciaran Frawley converting.
Cullen's side went through the phases, pummelling the Connacht line before spreading the ball to Jamie Osborne, who applied the finish.
The visitors continued to dominate territory and possession and after an offload from Snyman kept the ball moving, Turner went over in the corner for his side's second score.
An injury to Frawley in the build-up meant that Ross Byrne came on to kick the conversion.
James Ryan gathered and touched down but his try was disallowed for an accidental offside, with the ball coming off number eight James Culhane before the second row gathered his charge-down and crossed the line.
Connacht gathered some momentum and after applying pressure close to their opponents' line, flanker O'Brien received the ball at pace and showed power to barge his way over from close distance.
A converted try one minute before the interval put Leinster very much in the ascendancy and ensured they went in 16 points to the good at the break.
A flurry of carries saw the away team advance towards the line and after a couple of attempts that fell short, Snyman picked up and swivelled his way over.
Hard-fought second half
Leinster picked up in the second half where they left off in the first, Deegan diving over in the corner for the bonus-point score within four minutes of the resumption after doing well to gather Byrne's pass to the wing at his feet.
Connacht continued to battle and Forde dotted down under the posts after scything through the defence with an incisive running line, Josh Ioane adding the extra two points.
Leinster quickly replied and wing Andrew Osborne sprinted to collect Byrne's restart kick, plucking the ball out of the air and racing over.
Connacht continued to carry with aggression but the Westerners were left frustrated when an impressive passage of play ended with a knock-on from second row Darragh Moore.
Leinster regrouped and saw the game out to clinch a second successive Irish interprovincial victory in as many weeks.
Connacht: O'Conor; Bolton, Hawkshaw, Aki, Cordero; Ioane, B Murphy; Buckley, Heffernan, Bealham, Joyce, D Murray, Prendergast, O'Brien, Boyle.
Replacements: Tierney-Martin, Dooley, Aungier, N Murray, Jansen, Blade, Forde, Gavin.
Leinster: Keenan; Turner, Ringrose, J Osborne, A Osborne; Frawley, Gibson-Park; Boyle, G McCarthy, Slimani, Snyman, J Ryan, Deegan, Conners, Culhane.
Replacements: Smyth, Porter, Clarkson, Deeny, Penny, Gunne, R Byrne, Cooney.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (IRFU)