Leinster secured the top spot in Pool A of the Heineken Champions Cup with an excellent 36-10 bonus-point win over Racing 92 in Dublin.
The unbeaten Irish province progress to the knockout ranges and could revel in domestic gain all the manner to a ability final at the Aviva Stadium.
Jimmy O’Brien and Hugo Kenan both grabbed two attempts while Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose also scored. Janick Tarrit and Christian Wade touched down for Racing.
Leinster eventually pulled clear of a determined and well-organised Racing 92 side to sign off their Champions Cup Pool A campaign with a fourth straight bonus-point win – a result which sees the province advance as top seeds and secure home advantage in the knockout stages.
Leo Cullen’s aspect stay unbeaten in all competitions this season. Racing, via contrast, have registered a solitary victory inside the opposition and wished a win today to similarly their involvement inside the event.
Leinster started with most people of ownership however struggled to convert this into points due to a decided defensive effort from the site visitors.
A nicely-rehearsed sweeping Leinster backs pass in the end unlocked the Racing defence, with centre Ringrose deciding on an brilliant line to break into area and help winger O’Brien, who dotted down within the corner.
Despite scoring first, the hosts struggled to transport up via the gears as Racing did their first-rate to disrupt and battle their manner lower back into the game.
Racing were rewarded for efforts drawing close the destroy, with hooker Tarrit steering a line-out maul toward the Leinster line and burrowing over to deliver his facet again into the game as Leinster led 7-five at half-time with the game on a knife-edge.
📣 | A big thank you to everyone who brought the noise to Aviva Stadium today. 👏
We’ll see you next week at the RDS🙌#LEIvR92 #HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/mxyZR0wzGi
— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) January 21, 2023
Heineken Champions Cup | Leinster surge clear
Early into the second half, Finn Russell’s incisive smash and lengthy skip bypass sent winger Christian Wade scampering over, leaving the hosts looking rattled.
Minutes later however, Leinster replied with a strive from Keenan, who crashed over from close range following a effective deliver from substitute hooker Dan Sheehan.
Leinster started out to dominate and quickfire scores via Van der Flier and a 2d for Keenan gave Leinster the bonus factor.
The strive of the sport got here whilst Ringrose collected his very own kick and managed to offload to O’Brien for his second.
Captain Ringrose capped off a man-of-the-match performance with a try inside the ultimate play to seal a complete win and perfect file for Leinster Champion Cup.
Leinster: Keenan; Larmour, Ringrose (c), Osborne, O’Brien; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Kelleher, Ala’alatoa; McCarthy, Ryan; Doris, van der Flier, Conan.
Racing 92: Gelant; Wade, Klemenczak, Fickou, Dupichot; Russell, Le Garrec; Ben Arous, Tarrit, Nyakane; Chouzenoux, Palu; Lauret, Coulibaly, Kamikamica.
Round -4 : Heineken Champions Cup
There is plenty at stake for all four Irish provinces heading into the final round of pool fixtures in the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.
Leinster have already qualified for the Champions Cup knockout stages but can secure home advantage for the round of 16 and beyond with victory over Racing 92 at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
TV
Leinster vs Racing 92 is live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 2.30 on Saturday (kick-off 3.15pm).
Leinster’s in-form centre Jamie Osborne, who was named in Ireland’s Six Nations squad, beat the most defenders in round three (8), while Caelan Doris leads the try assist charts (5) after creating another two at Kingsholm.
