RUGBY/Border Rievers - 22 Leinster - 19: Leinster suffered a shock defeat at the hands of bottom-placed Borders at Netherdale last night to give the Dublin-based side massive food for thought ahead of their opening match in the Heineken European Cup against Gloucester at Lansdowne next Saturday.
This was a performance that lacked a dynamic quality, despite the presence in midfield of Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy. Instead of using these attacking players, Leinster relied too much on the goal kicking of Felipe Contepomi, who admittedly answered the call with five successes from five attempts.
Leinster clearly underestimated the Borders' flair and, moreover, their determination to end what has been a dismal start to the season, not helped by Murrayfield's continued threat of wielding the axe on their very existence.
Leinster were quickly into scoring mode with a penalty goal in front of the posts by Contepomi after Borders were judged offside. Borders' reply could not have been better. From a move triggered by a jinky run out of defence by fullback Calum MacRae, flanker Scott Gray opted for a defence-confusing grubber-kick that gave lock Craig Hamilton his side's opening points.
MacRae had little difficulty with the conversion kick to give Borders a 7-3 lead. Then, at the end of another counterattack, MacRae increased his tally with a penalty kick after Leinster had strayed offside.
Leinster, however, regained ground with a second penalty goal from Contepomi, Neil Ballard ruling Cusiter and Kelly Brown were guilty of crossing from a scrum pick-up.
Again there was a thrilling riposte from Borders, this time prop Gavin Kerr showing his sidestepping ability before handing on to Ben MacDougall, only for the Scotland centre to be engulfed on the line. But when Reivers tried to clear the ball from the ensuing ruck, Leinster were penalised, allowing MacRae to kick his second penalty.
Leinster, however, made good with a catch-and-drive try attributed to Stephen Keogh, Contepomi successfully converting to level the scores at 13-13 before putting his side into a 16-13 interval lead with his third penalty goal on the stroke of half-time.
Having survived an early assault after the break, Leinster - who lost Denis Hickie to injury - began to apply their own pressure and, when Borders flanker John Dalziel was sinbinned for handling in a ruck, Contepomi meted out the punishment with his fourth penalty goal.
But MacRae landed his third penalty goal to narrow Leinster's lead to just three and the fullback repeated the dosage after Keogh was yellow-carded following a searing break by Cusiter.
Borders soon made their advantage tell, delivering quality ball from the set scrum that gave Steve Jones enough time to drop the match-winning goal.
SCORERS: Border Reivers - Tries: Hamilton; Con: MacRae; Pens: MacRae (4); Drop Goal: Jones. Leinster - Tries: Keogh; Con: Contepomi; Pens: Contepomi (4).
BORDER REIVERS: C MacRae; M Robertson, B MacDougall, G Law, N De Luca; S Jones, C Cusiter; G Kerr, R Ford (S Scott 74), E Kalman (B Douglas 60), O Palepoi, C Hamilton, R Beattie (J Dalziel 42), S Gray (A Miller 75), K Brown.
LEINSTER: R Kearney; L Fitzgerald, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, D Hickie (K Lewis 48); F Contepomi, G Easterby (C Willis 21); R Corrigan (H Vermaas 60), B Blaney (B Jackman 72), W Green, T Hogan (O Finegan 67), M O'Kelly, C Jowitt (S Keogh 26), K Gleeson, J Heaslip.
Referee: N Ballard.
