Baird Emerges As Hat-Trick Hero As Leinster Hammer Glasgow

Rampaging Academy lock Ryan Baird helped himself to a memorable hat-trick in Leinster’s 55-19 GUINNESS PRO14 bonus point win over Glasgow Warriors at the RDS.

It took just three-and-a-half minutes for 20-year-old man-of-the-match Baird to crash over, the hosts’ thunderous attack producing further scores for Dave Kearney, James Lowe and captain Scott Fardy to create a 24-7 half-time lead.

Kyle Steyn deftly doubled Glasgow’s try tally, adding to Tommy Seymour’s slick 25th-minute effort, but Lowe completed his brace before Baird brilliantly accelerated away in the 55th minute and then went over again past the hour mark.

Kearney finished with a hat-trick of his own, cancelling out an Alex Allan score, on a night that Leinster moved 20 points clear at the top of Conference A. They have also set a new 15-match record for consecutive victories in the Championship, eclipsing Munster’s 14 from 2011.

The hosts got over from their very first attack, a scrum penalty allowing them to carry with great intent before Baird expertly burrowed over from a couple of metres out. The heavily-influential Harry Byrne converted to the right of the posts.

Leinster tidied up lineout ball after an overcooked Pete Horne kick, and another powerful carrying spell forced Warriors backwards. Armed with a penalty advantage, Byrne’s long pass put Kearney over in the corner to make it 12-0 after as many minutes.

Handling errors thwarted Glasgow’s progress but a couple of clever kicks from Seymour and Horne got them moving. It was former Scotland winger Seymour who cut a great angle off George Horne’s inside pass to glide in behind the posts. The latter’s brother converted to put five points between them.

A Baird knock-on denied Leinster as they built for a swift response, but his second row partner Fardy soon outfoxed two defenders with a scooped offload to send Lowe raiding over for a seven-pointer.

Luke McGrath’s initial break sparked a furious late hunt for the bonus point, Fardy duly delivering it off a close-in ruck. However, Glasgow had an encouraging start to the second half. Skipper Ryan Wilson was involved as quick hands released Steyn for a superb in-and-out finish from his own 10-metre line.

Leinster cancelled out that score in the 51st minute, Will Connors’ turnover and another burst by Baird leading to some smart handling across the back-line. Lowe, fed on halfway, managed to spin out of Huw Jones’ attempted tackle to finish off his seventh try of the season.

It got even better for the table-topping province when Baird stormed over from 45 metres out, stunning scrum half Horne and the chasing wingers with his pace. The St. Michael’s College product picked from a ruck to add a much more straightforward third try with 63 minutes on the clock.

Niko Matawalu’s break and an excellent offload by Jamie Dobie put fellow replacement Allan in under the Leinster posts in the 70th minute. Yet, Leo Cullen’s side pushed through the 50-point barrier, Fardy starring in the build-up to Kearney’s second of the night before Jones’ loose offload gave the Ireland winger his third.

Giving his reaction afterwards, Leinster head coach Cullen said: “It was really pleasing because we’re up against a very good team in Glasgow and they’re constantly probing, looking for opportunities. I thought the intensity we brought to the game was good, very, very pleasing.

“The focus generally was pretty good. A couple of times in the second half I thought we looked a little bit vulnerable, Glasgow exposed us a couple of times. But overall, we’re pleased with how the players applied themselves. It’s been a nice little block of games for us – three games and three wins.

“We’ve talked about Ryan’s athleticism and what he can deliver. He came up with a couple of big moments today. Aerially he was good, obviously he was calling the lineout as well. So we know the athletic bits, it’s can we get the nuts and bolts sorted of his game. It was a positive step in his development.

“The competition is driving the group on all across the board. The young guys are all keen for opportunities, which is good. I thought Harry ran the week well. That’s the role of the 10, not just the day of the game, it’s how they run the week and the confidence and direction they give to the team.

“Between him and Ciaran (Frawley), they’ve ran this block well. When you’re missing two 10s with the national team, you’ve got two less experienced players coming into the mix there, but I think they’ve done well.”