Pre-season friendly: A callow, much-changed and ever-changing Leinster were duly offered up sacrificially on the final night of the Dax festival - an orgy of culture, drinking and bullfighting.
The overall result and even the performance were not unexpected for the match also served Leinster's primary purpose of blooding several newcomers, hopefuls and likely lads as the centrepiece of their week-long bonding and training sojourn to the southwest of France.
The night was notable for the Leinster debut of the 18-year-old former Blackrock College and Irish schools utility back Luke Fitzgerald, son of former Ireland prop Des. Reportedly happy with his Leaving Cert results earlier in the day, as one of eight debutants in the Leinster line-up Fitzgerald almost made a dream start to his swift promotion to the province's senior ranks. But after referee Pascal Gauzere had signalled a try when Fitzgerald touched down close to the corner flag after a cleverly delayed pass by Christian Warner, he changed his mind at the behest of a linesman.
Fitzgerald also looked dangerous in a couple of broken-field situations during his 25-minute cameo on the wing, but probably will be disappointed that he didn't make more of them. Fullback might have offered him more opportunities, as it did for the strong-running Ross McCarron, on a development contract, who availed of Dax's poor kick-and-chase game with some good counterattacking.
When moved there Fitzgerald made one good incision before moving the ball on when he might have backed himself before finishing the game in midfield.
The slimmed-down Samoan trialist Fosi Pala'amo, who has won 10 caps for the Pacific island, showed up very well in the loose, making some big hits around the fringes. Whether that sapped some of his strength was hard to gauge, but for whatever reason amid the changes the Leinster scrum really buckled under pressure.
Adam Byrnes, as is his wont, was certainly up for it, as was Des Dillon following his return from an Ospreys loan deal, while Stephen Keogh brought some Munster abrasiveness to the mix. Owen Finegan made one big incision and on hand was Chris Whitaker, whose crisp passing was a highlight, but for the most part Leinster struggled to generate go-forward ball and ended up playing a running game on the back foot.
Declining all three-pointers, they had several close-in lineouts, but one was held up, another was drifted into touch, and opting to run another off the tail merely played into a congested outfield. Hence they finished the first half 6-0 down to a couple of penalties by Mathie Maillard.
Amid the comings and goings, it was a big night too for Andy Dunne - effectively on trial once more with his native province. The talented outhalf did end with a trademark dummy kick and acceleration from inside his 22 before finding Ciarán Potts with a flat pass, and while he may have been guilty of trying too hard, he brought more presence and unpredictability to outhalf.
In the second half Dax scored tries from Paul Dabrin and Anthony Mazel, and Ludovic Courtade was entrusted with late three-pointers to maintain the lead.
Mick Berne was in the process of scoring when Monsieur Gauzere spotted some barely discernible crossing, but after a searing break from his own line by Berne, Guy Easterby plundered a consolation try.
Fitzgerald, alas, missed his attempted drop-kicked conversion.
SCORING SEQUENCE: 17 mins: Maillard pen, 3-0; 32: Maillard pen, 6-0 (half-time 6-0); 52: Dabrin try, Maillard con, 13-0; 54: Mazel try, 18-0; 67: Courtade pen, 21-0; 74: Easterby try, 21-5; 78: Courtade pen, 24-5.
DAX: L Diaz; B Hiriart, M Kefu, L Courtade, P Dabrin; M Maillard, J-B Pezet; W Bonet, Y Pedrossa, J Brugnaud, M Serra, R Berek, C Tournier, F Alexandre, F Auelua. Replacements: C Milheres for Alexandre (25 mins), F Argel for Kefu (32 mins), V Claireaux for Pedrosa, M Auzqui for Brugnaud, G August for Brugnaud, A Mazel for Sierra, F Alexandre for Aurelea, J Lescourges for Pezea, B Gaillardet for Courtade, R Lafourcade for Hiriart (all half-time).
LEINSTER: R McCarron; L Fitzgerald, S Grissing, M Berne, G Brown; C Warner, C Whitaker; H Vermaas, B Jackman, F Pala'amo, A Byrnes, D Dillon, O Finegan, N Ronan (capt), S Keogh. Replacements: W Green for Pala'amo, Wickham for Jackman (both 27 mins), C Potts for Keogh, A Dunne for Berne (both 32 mins), Pala'amo for Vermaas (33 mins), R Corrigan for Pala'amo, G Easterby for Whitaker (both half-time), Vermaas for Wickham (45 mins), Keogh for Ronan (55 mins), R Sweeney for Green (62 mins), Berne for Dunne (66 mins).
Referee: P Gauzere (France).
