Leinster 42 Treviso 8:THEIR 12th win from 14 games and Leinster widened their lead at the top of the PRO12 table. A still evening, relatively warm but with light drizzle falling throughout, the home team started quickly and finished strutting around the showgrounds threatening to run in a try with almost every move.
In an opening phase where Leinster set their hearts on a running, up-tempo game Isa Nacewa was quickly rewarded with a penalty close to the sideline. The fullback landed it without fuss and from there on the home side romped around the RDS and owned it.
Nacewa, in one ambitious counter-attack, in the opening quarter had rightwing Darren Husdon inside him with just one man to beat when the covering Benjamin De Jager shunted him from behind and the ball spilled forward.
Inevitably Treviso were given opportunities and outhalf Alberto Di Bernardo took the first with an opportunistic drop goal on 20 minutes for 3-3. That sparked Leinster into action and when Ian Madigan saw the thinnest of gaps, he squeezed through for his seventh try in 15 outings.
Treviso had come with a reputation for a likeness for the physical side of the game. But that wasn’t much in evidence. The Leinster pack were providing endless quick ball and Devin Toner was peerless in the lineouts as the match scooted along at a break-neck pace.
Another penalty and Nacewa pushed Leinster further ahead as the break loomed. The home side went in 11-3 ahead and content enough but also certain in their minds that it could have been a wider margin.
Treviso had their chances early after the break when Nacewa covered across for a kicked ball and slid into touch. It was the first time the Italians had ventured so far up the pitch and it took some Irish bodies to be thrown into the line to keep them out.
Nacewa kept the scoreboard ticking over with another penalty, but on 52 minutes Treviso played themselves back into the game all too easily. Loosehead prop Matteo Muccignat lurked on the rightwing at a ruck where Leinster were well placed for an organised defence. But Heinke van der Merwe was sucked in and the ball went wide and there was no stopping Muccignat from less than 10 metres out as he made it 14-8.
Again Leinster responded brightly and coldly killed off the contest in an eight-minute barrage. First Fionn Carr burst through and Macken took it on, popping the ball for the charging Ricardt Strauss. Dave Kearney, fresh from the bench, deftly scrambled up the left wing, delivering to Nacewa to touch down for 26-8. John Cooney then earned his first try, again straight from the bench as Treviso were stretched to breaking point. Nacewa converted for 35-8. Finally Carr, into the game for second time after a substitution, fed off a cross-field kick from Madigan to touch down.
LEINSTER: I Nacewa; D Hudson, B Macken, C O'Shea, F Carr; I Madigan, I Boss; H van der Merwe, R Strauss, N White, D Browne, D Toner, K McLaughlin (capt), S Jennings, L Auva'a. Replacememnts: 53 mins R Ruddock for L Auva'a and J Hagan for White; 65 mins D Kearney; M Flanagan for D Browne and J McGrath for H van der Merwe 66 mins; N Reid for C O'Shea 69 mins; T Sexton for Strauss and J Cooney for O'Shea 70 mins. 78 mins Carr for Nacewa.
BENETTON TREVISO:L Nitoglia; B De Jager, E Galon, A Pratichetti, B Williams; A Di Bernardo, A Chillon; M Muccignat, E Ceccato, I Rouyet, F Minto, V Bernabo (capt), G Padro, B Vermaak, M Filippucci. Replacements: P Di Santo for I Fernandez 26 mins; 34 minsS Picone for A Chillon; G Garcia for De Jager halftime; D Vidal and E Ceccato 66 mins' C Fazzari for Muccignat 70 mins.
Referee:L Hodges (WRU).
