United Rugby Championship
Dragons (7) 10
Tries: Screech Cons: De Beer Pen: O’Brien
Leinster (5) 24
Tries: Soroka, Kenny 2, Snyman Cons: H Byrne 2
Champions Leinster avoided a huge United Rugby Championship upset by edging past Dragons 24-10 at Rodney Parade.
The Irish province trailed 7-5 after an indisciplined first half but eventually ran out four-try winners in Newport.
They dominated the second half but could not shake off a spirited Dragons, who pushed to level the scores in the closing stages.
Leinster survived and returning South Africa lock RG Snyman – star of the show off the bench – made it a five-point haul in the 78th minute by adding to blind-side flanker Alex Soroka’s opener and wing Joshua Kenny’s double.
But it was a desperately unconvincing return to league action for Leinster ahead of the Champions Cup.
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Dragons, meanwhile, are yet to win in the URC since the opening weekend of last season and the loss of five Wales players meant they were huge underdogs.
Test calls ups to face South Africa and injuries meant Dragons’ squad was threadbare and with hookers Elliot Dee, James Benjamin and Sam Scarfe injured, they were forced to sign 21-year-old Sale Sharks hooker Will Austin on a short-term deal this week.
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The first half swung from Leinster dominance, when they paid the price for failing to build on Soroka’s powerful finish in the fourth minute, to Dragons being camped in the Irish province’s 22.
The wasteful visitors’ indiscipline led to a yellow card for lock Diarmuid Mangan for offside after 28 minutes.
Dragons turned down shots at goal and got their reward when lock Matthew Screech inched over from close range in the 31st minute, fly-half Tinus De Beer converting for a 7-5 lead.
Leinster were reduced to 13 men with four minutes of the half left when open-side flanker Scott Penny was shown yellow for another offside.
The champions racked up a remarkable 12 penalties in the first half to give Dragons hope of a huge upset.
However, Leinster made light of their numerical disadvantage to go in front in the 44th minute when sharp handling put wing Kenny over.
Fly-half Harry Byrne converted from the right touchline only for Angus O’Brien to respond with a penalty to make cut the lead to 12-10.
Leinster were twice held up over the line and had another effort chalked off by the TMO before Kenny finished from an outrageous offload and then basketball pass in the same move by Springbok Snyman.
It was one-way traffic but Dragons showed spirit to keep the score at 17-10.
They pushed for a leveller in the closing stages only to knock on five metres out, with Penny surviving a TMO inspection of a high shot on lock Levi Douglas.
Leinster escaped and Snyman gathered the loose ball from an aerial bomb to race over from 25 metres to secure the spoils.
How they lined up
Dragons: O’Brien (capt); C Evans, Richards, Owen, Anderson; De Beer, R Williams; Kelleher-Griffiths, Burrows, Hunt, S Davies, Screech, Woodman, Young, Martin.
Replacements: Austin, W Jones, James, Douglas, Lewis-Hughes, Armstrong, Westwood, E Rosser.
Leinster: J O’Brien; Kenny, Cooney, Frawley, Larmour; H Byrne, Gunne; Boyle, G McCarthy, Clarkson, Deeny, Mangan, Soroka, Penny, Deegan (capt).
Replacements: McKee, Cahir, Slimani, Snyman, Ericson, L McGrath, Tector, Moloney.
Sin bin – Mangan (28), Penny (36)
Referee: Morne Ferreira (South Africa)
Assistant: Craig Evans (Wales) and Lucas Yendle (Wales)
TMO: Chris Allison (South Africa)
