Leinster And Ulster Equal PRO14 Record In 14-Try Interpro Derby

Christmas came early to the RDS with a sackful of tries as Leinster crossed eight times in a 54-42 GUINNESS PRO14 derby win over Ulster.

Incoming Ireland head coach Andy Farrell watched on as the Conference A leaders bagged their bonus point inside 28 minutes, but Ulster recovered from centre Matt Faddes’ costly sin-binning to score six tries of their own.

Max Deegan, a member of Farrell’s mid-season squad, Scott Penny (2), Robbie Henshaw and Fergus McFadden all touched down to tee up a 33-14 half-time lead for Leinster. Faddes ran in an opportunist try, adding to Angus Kernohan’s eighth-minute effort.

There were some notable names missing from both teamsheets – Ulster’s in particular – but this free-flowing festive interprovincial fixture proved very memorable for its 14 tries and six senior debutants, including Leinster duo Tommy O’Brien and Roman Salanoa.

20-year-old Academy out-half Harry Byrne shone for Leo Cullen’s men, landing seven conversions and impressing in attack, alongside Jamison Gibson-Park, in a man-of-the-match display.

Rob Kearney, Cian Kelleher and Deegan took the victors’ try haul to an eventual eight, yet Ulster grabbed a hard-earned bonus point thanks to a Craig Gilroy intercept and number 8 Greg Jones, who weighed in with a final-quarter brace before replacement Jonny Stewart’s last-minute score.

The total of 14 tries equals the PRO14 record for tries scored in a single match – Edinburgh’s 66-32 victory over Caerphilly back in September 2002. 96 points is the Championship’s second biggest ever total, matching the same Caerphilly v Edinburgh game. Ulster’s tally of 42 points is a PRO14 record for a losing team.

Leinster got off to a flying start, the returning Kelleher burning up the metres on the right wing before ever-alert number 8 Deegan managed to twist out of a double tackle to ground the ball.

Following Harry Byrne’s conversion, Ulster piled forward thanks to a series of penalties. Faddes played the perfect link man in midfield, as the ball was shifted wide by Rob Lyttle for Kernohan to crash over in the left corner.

A classy conversion from Bill Johnston made it seven points apiece, although Leinster were quick to response. Again Kelleher caused damage out wide, set free by PRO14 newcomer O’Brien’s pass. Penny burrowed over a few phases later for Byrne to convert.

The talented openside doubled his tally in the 22nd minute, driving over from close range with Josh Murphy on the latch. The seven-pointer came after Faddes had been carded for a high tackle on his opposite number O’Brien.

14-man Ulster fell 28-7 behind when Kelleher’s clever footwork had Ulster on the retreat and Byrne’s well-weighted kick out to the right was gobbled up and touched down by Henshaw. Byrne landed the tough conversion for good measure.

Faddes then used a Leinster spill to scamper clear from halfway before McFadden replied with Byrne beating two defenders in the build-up. Byrne then skipped two players with a long pass to put full-back Kearney over, just four minutes after the restart.

McFadden’s cross-field kick from a penalty picked out Henshaw who dished it off for Kelleher to speed clear and make it 47-14. Injuries hampered Ulster but it did mean debuts for Ethan McIlroy, Stewart Moore, Azur Allison and Jack Regan.

Gilroy intercepted a Penny pass for a rallying 60-metre try, but Deegan used a close-in scrum to reach in under the posts. Although the result was sewn up with Leinster now 12 points clear at the top of the table, Ulster battled on in determined fashion.

They finished with a flourish, back rower Jones growing in influence with a well-taken double, his second score coming from a lineout maul. Precise place-kicker Johnston converted both and topped off Stewart’s smart finish from a final scrum while Leinster lock Murphy was in the sin-bin.

Giving his reaction afterwards, Leinster head coach Cullen said: “There were lots of good bits, particularly in the first half. Credit to the players, I thought they applied themselves really well. The second half was very disjointed.

“There were a lot of tries for both sides. We gave away a lot of penalties, which meant we gave away a lot of good field position as well. Delighted to get a win and a bonus point, (but) frustrated to concede as many points, especially here at home.

“There’s a lot of young guys coming in there, and a good few guys making their Leinster debuts as well. We’ll have a look back. There were some lapses in concentration, perhaps, when we pushed on on the scoreboard.

“We would like to set a better standard than that. Ulster managed to get a bonus point out of the game, and we had them dead and buried, it looked like, at one stage. Credit to them for coming back into the game, they stayed in the fight, but was it off the back of our errors a few times?”

Ulster boss Dan McFarland commented: “Leinster rather tortured us in the first half when they had the ball – they were exceptional. I was proud of our lads. I thought they worked really hard. When you’re playing against a team who can play with that tempo, it’s really difficult.

“We came back and scored six tries. There are not many teams who come here and do that. I see progress in four new caps and Dave (O’Connor) on his first start. All five showed up well and had a good impact. From that point of view there’s definitely progress.”