Arms Park Collapse Ends Leinster’s Title Tilt
For the second year running, Leinster saw their title bid falter over the final weekend of the season. Seeking a bonus point win to claim the inaugural Magners League crown, Michael Cheika’s men disappointingly came up short in Cardiff.
MAGNERS LEAGUE: Friday, May 11
CARDIFF BLUES (13) 27 LEINSTER (6) 11, Arms Park (Att: 9,309)
Scorers: Cardiff: Tries: Robin Sowden-Taylor, Gareth Williams, Rhys Williams, Marc Stcherbina; Cons: Nick Robinson 2; Pen: Ben Blair
Leinster: Try: Shane Horgan; Pens: Felipe Contepomi 2
TIME LINE: 6 minutes – Cardiff try: Robin Sowden-Taylor – 5-0; conversion: missed by Ben Blair – 5-0; 8 mins – Leinster penalty: Felipe Contepomi – 5-3; 18 mins – Cardiff penalty: Ben Blair – 8-3; 26 mins – Leinster penalty: Felipe Contepomi – 8-6; 31 mins – Cardiff penalty: Gareth Williams – 13-6; conversion: missed by Ben Blair – 13-6; Half-time – Cardiff 13 Leinster 6; 47 mins – Cardiff try: Rhys Williams – 18-6; conversion: Nick Robinson – 20-6; 50 mins – Cardiff try: Marc Stcherbina – 25-6; conversion: Nick Robinson – 27-6; 54 mins – Leinster try: Shane Horgan – 27-11; conversion: missed by Felipe Contepomi – 27-11; 57 mins – Leinster yellow card: Felipe Contepomi; Full-time – Cardiff 27 Leinster 11
Cardiff: Ben Blair; Rhys Williams, Jamie Robinson, Marc Stcherbina, Chris Czekaj; Nick Robinson, Mike Phillips; Gethin Jenkins, Gareth Williams, Gary Powell, Deiniol Jones, Robert Sidoli, Mark Lewis, Robin Sowden-Taylor, Xavier Rush (capt).
Replacements used: Scott Roberts for Jenkins, Tom James for R Williams (both 65 mins), Scott Morgan for Lewis, Nick Macleod for Blair (both 69), Rhys Thomas for G Williams, Rhys Shellard for Sowden-Taylor (both 73), Wayne Evans for Phillips (74).
Leinster: Girvan Dempsey; Rob Kearney, Gordon D’Arcy, Shane Horgan, Denis Hickie; Felipe Contepomi (capt), Chris Whitaker; Reggie Corrigan, Bernard Jackman, Will Green, Trevor Hogan, Malcolm O’Kelly, Stephen Keogh, Keith Gleeson, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements used: Stan Wright for Corrigan, Guy Easterby for Whitaker (both half-time), Cameron Jowitt for Keogh, Christian Warner for Kearney (both 56), Owen Finegan for O’Kelly (63), Luke Fitzgerald for Dempsey (67). Not used: Brian Blaney.
Referee: Malcolm Changleng (Scotland)
Touch Judges: Phil Fear, Gwyn Morris (both Wales)