RUGBY/Leinster 28 Edinburgh 14: Leinster got the victory but not the all-important bonus point in an error-strewn performance at the RDS last night. Indiscipline, poor handling and a lack of appreciation of the basic premise of the straight-line running and timing of the pass undermined cameos of good rugby.
It puts a massive onus on having to travel to Murrayfield next Saturday and managing not alone to win but also take a bonus point home if they are to realistically sustain their pool ambitions.
While it was a poor team performance, there were a number of brilliant individual displays in number eight Jamie Heaslip, secondrow Leo Cullen and hooker Bernard Jackman.
Unfortunately for the home side their general patterns were too stilted and, given the plethora of mistakes and poor decision-making, they failed to muster that four-try haul, falling one short.
Cillian Willis demonstrated tigerish qualities in defence, but his primary role is to provide a decent service and in this respect his passing was patchy, forcing the receiver to take the ball on the half-volley: crucially on a couple of occasions it stifled a momentum that could have led to a couple of tries.
He just needs to be a little more composed and precise.
He wasn't alone in the opening 40 minutes in terms of being able to perform the orthodox. Too much of the back play was lateral. At times it cried out for straight running and crisp handling rather than dithering and then offloading to a team-mate encumbered by multiple tacklers.
The Leinster pack demonstrated the value of direct running and good support lines, none more so than Heaslip and the excellent Jackman.
They made serious inroads as a result of good footwork and a fine appreciation of the soft shoulder.
Keith Gleeson supported intelligently and it wasn't a surprise that the home side's two first-half tries fell to the backrow.
After Felipe Contepomi and Phil Godman exchanged penalties, Leinster grabbed the first try, conjured and executed by the pack. Malcolm O'Kelly won a lineout, Jackman made the hard yards and, after twice being held up close to the Edinburgh line, Heaslip forced his way over.
Contepomi converted and on 27 minutes posted a penalty after visiting captain Mike Blair committed a professional foul in killing the ball. Referee Roman Poite should have brandished a yellow card given where the offence took place and the manner of it.
At 13-3 Leinster should have settled into the rhythm of a match they were largely dominating.
Edinburgh enjoyed a decent amount of possession, occasionally facilitated by the home side's errors but rarely breached a vigilant defence in which Heaslip in particular made some excellent, front-foot tackles.
Leinster's second try showed the backs in a better light, with Gordon D'Arcy and Brian O'Driscoll involved, but Heaslip was the primary catalyst in terms of yards with his backrow colleague Gleeson supporting intelligently to dive over.
Contepomi converted and the home side led 18-3 at half-time.
Edinburgh gave their hosts a lesson with regard to running on to the ball at pace and offloading at precisely the right time, with wing John Houston scampering clear for a well-worked try. It's origin came from yet another Leinster mistake, an error rate that was spiralling alarmingly.
Godman should have closed the gap further but missed an easy penalty.
The home side briefly rallied with another great break by Jackman. Replacement Calum MacRae was sent to the bin for offending at the ensuing ruck and Contepomi kicked the 15-metre penalty.
It should have been a clarion call for the home side to raise their intensity, but instead they continued to display appalling discipline at ruck time, allowing Godman to close the gap to 21-14 with a brace of penalties.
Twice Leinster players were guilty of white-line fever in a matter of minutes, individual thrusts rather than cohesive, collective unity seeing the chances being lost.
In spite of their shortcomings on the night, Leinster managed to score a third try.
Once again the pack were the architects, but this time it was Contepomi who provided the finishing touch, dancing first and then powering his way over for a try, which he converted.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 3 mins: Contepomi penalty, 3-0; 5: Godman penalty, 3-3; 15: Heaslip try, Contepomi conversion, 10-3; 27: Contepomi penalty, 13-3; 31: Gleeson try, 18-3. Half-time: 18-3. 45: Houston try, 18-8; 47: Contepomi penalty, 21-8; 58: Godman penalty, 21-11; 64: Godman penalty, 21-14; 71: Contepomi try, Contepomi conversion, 28-14.
LEINSTER: R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; F Contepomi, C Willis; O le Roux, B Jackman, S Wright; M O'Kelly, L Cullen; S Keogh, K Gleeson, J Heaslip. Replacements: S Jennings for Keogh (47 mins); B Blaney for Jackman (55-60 mins); G Brown for Fitzgerald 72 mins.
EDINBURGH: B Cairns; A Maxwell, N de Luca, M Dey, J Houston; P Godman, M Blair (capt); A Jacobsen, R Ford, G Kerr; M Mustchin, B Gissing; R Reid, R Rennie, D Callam. Replacements: A Allori for Kerr (35 mins); C MacRae for Dey (47 mins); S Cross for Reid (53 mins); D Blair for Godman (60 mins); B Meyer for M Blair (75 mins).
Sinbinned: Calum MacRae (54-64mins).
Referee: R Poite (France).
