After Leinster’s 35-12 victory against Bristol Bears, here are our five insights from the Champions Cup encounter at Ashton Gate on Sunday. The key points A tenacious first half by Bristol Bears wasn’t enough to hinder Leinster from accelerating in the second half, where the visitors achieved an emphatic four-try showing to secure the match […]
After Leinster’s 35-12 victory against Bristol Bears, here are our five insights from the Champions Cup encounter at Ashton Gate on Sunday.
The key points
A tenacious first half by Bristol Bears wasn’t enough to hinder Leinster from accelerating in the second half, where the visitors achieved an emphatic four-try showing to secure the match at 35-12.
Leinster’s five tries came from Jordan Larmour, Sam Prendergast (2), Jordie Barrett, and man of the match Josh van der Flier, while Bristol’s scores were from Max Lahiff and Gabe Ibitoye, who dashed nearly 50 metres late in the game to earn some semblance of respectability.
With Prendergast accumulating a total of 20 points, it was a punishing second half performance by the visitors, one that Bristol struggled to cope with. After turning around with honors level at half-time, Leinster’s significant contributions from the bench propelled them forward, as the quality of both teams’ substitutions played a pivotal role in the final score.
Substitute influence
Jordie Barrett on his debut, alongside Caelan Doris and RG Snyman as a trio, are typically more featured in X or Instagram among various fan-selected world XVs than emerging from the bench on a stormy night in December in Bristol.
And, as expected, their combined effect was as substantial as their imposing physiques, as Leinster’s bench strategy proved too overwhelming for the battered Bears.
In the 57th minute, a brilliant hold pass from Barrett caught the Bristol midfield off guard, creating a large gap between Ibitoye and Joe Jenkins, and Prendergast seized the opportunity to break through the defense and take the lead for Leinster for the first time in the match. Moments later, the All Black center found a gap and barreled over to extend the lead, showcasing his impact.
With Doris setting up another try for Prendergast shortly after, the influence of these world-class players on the Leinster bench was undeniable as Barrett, Snyman, and Doris effectively guided their team to victory.
MacGinty absence
Many in the sport have questioned the completeness of Benhard Janse van Rensburg’s skill set. He’s shown his ability to jump in the lineout, throw in from the sidelines, scrummage at eight, and handle restarts – an incredibly versatile player, typically positioned in the center.
However, when Bristol Bears fly-half AJ MacGinty exited the pitch in the fourth minute, likely searching for the ribcage that Garry Ringrose had just separated from him with a powerful tackle, Janse van Rensburg shifted to fly-half, revealing the gaps in his overall skill set.
To put it plainly, Janse van Rensburg faced significant difficulties with the kicking responsibilities and often positioned himself too deep to initiate the usually smooth Bristol attack, as Leinster’s defense, frequently teetering on the edge of offside, gave him a tough time in the fly-half position.
It’s tough to fault Benhard, a man who invests everything for his team and is, of course, a top-tier center, but in a game of fine margins, Bristol found themselves clearing 20 meters to touch instead of 40, and they began their attacks not on the gainline, but 10 meters behind it – essential losses when scoring opportunities were at such a premium for both sides.
Pack performance
The contest among the forwards was fierce and often too illegal for the referees’ liking.
Of their 10 scrums during their put-ins in the match, Leinster managed to win or complete only five, as Rabah Slimani’s technique, which involves diving onto the loosehead, drew significant scrutiny from the officials. Ironically, when the referee finally had enough of the antics, it was substitute Andrew Porter and Bears’ Max Lahiff who were both shown cards, leaving the two giants bantering with each other as they walked off the pitch.
But despite the front rows colliding fiercely, the clash between the two sevens – Fitz Harding and the former World Rugby Player of the Year Josh van der Flier – was epic, with Harding showing remarkable growth in his game over the last couple of years. Harding led both carries and tackles for Bristol with 19 and 20 respectively in a notable performance for the home captain, although it wasn’t enough to fend off the former European champions.
As the match progressed, Jack Conan’s powerful carries became more prominent against the fatigued Bears, and with Leinster introducing players with 400 Test caps (and a pair of World Cups) from the bench, the Bears were subdued, left contemplating what might have been had they sustained their first half intensity.
Yellow card blunder
In the last 10 minutes of the first half, Leinster found themselves reduced to 13 players as referee Brousset first sent Ronan Kelleher to the sin-bin for collapsing a driving maul, and soon after, Max Deegan joined him for a rather cynical trip on the impressive Bristol flanker Harding.
With a two-man advantage, it didn’t take long for Bristol to break the deadlock as Bill Mata powered toward the line, only to be held up, followed by colorful tighthead Lahiff barging over for a fan-favorite try. Job done, or so it seemed. Then disaster struck as Rich Lane lost focus during the restart, allowing Leinster to recycle quickly and send flying wing Larmour over to equalize just before halftime.
Bristol had clawed their way back into this match against the odds, and with a two-man advantage for about 10 minutes, they really should have capitalized more on this vital phase, but Leinster displayed the core resilience they are known for. Coming out of a two-card period level was a pivotal moment in the match, one that Bristol should have taken advantage of but one that Leinster skillfully minimized.
However, just after the restart, one might wonder why Joe McCarthy didn’t receive a third yellow after a blatant and intentional trip on Harding. It was a cynical and obvious attempt to take the openside out by McCarthy, and in an era where consistent outcomes are desired, it was perplexing to see the lock not further penalized in a match where the French referee garnered little support from the fans.
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