Match report - Scarlets v Leinster, ERC - 20/10/12

The reigning European Champions Leinster rolled into Parc Y Scarlets and were made to look ordinary. Not by the Scarlets, who were too busy shooting themselves in the foot, but by a general malaise that infected even Brian O Driscoll. This was more like the Leinster sides we saw at Stradey a decade ago than the three starred Kings of Europe.

The game started poorly for Leinster. O Driscoll threw a poor pass that evaded his own players and bounced into the grateful hands of Gareth Maule in Leinster's own 22. It was to be symptomatic of the Scarlets' afternoon however that they had a chance to hammer Leinster psychologically, but failed woefully to take the advantage. McCusker took the ball into contact when he should have given the ball to the backs outside him (no doubt following instructions to take it into contact and set it up) but Shane Jennings turned the ball over.

Having been put under early Scarlets pressure Leinster managed to obtain field position with the aid of some sympathetic officiating. Sexton picked out Isa Nacewa with a pin point cross kick. North got hold of the Leinster favourite and it seemed that he would be able to carry him into touch in goal, however Nacewa did very well to ground it. The TMO was called on but it was a clear try and surely would have been a penalty try anyhow as North had taken hold of his opponent in the air.

Sexton missed the touch line conversion but did land two penalties to take the score at the break to 0-11, Priestland also missing with two penalties during the half.

Whereas the first half had seen the naïve Scarlets forwards bossed at the ruck by Jennings and a failure on the Scarlets part to keep their own ball, the second saw the Scarlets at least managing to maintain some possession. Sexton showed the briefest glimpse of class taking one of many poor kicks out of hand by Priestland and slotting an improbable drop goal from distance.

Brian O Driscoll's afternoon was however about to get worse. From a line out the Scarlets spread the ball. Gareth Maule stood him up and drifted outside him as O Driscoll slipped. Maule had the pace to race into the corner for a try which was the highlight of the half if not the match.

The excellent 19 year old Samson Lee who had carried, tackled and scrummaged well was inexplicably then replaced by Deacon Manu and the Scarlets scrum was in tatters.

After an exchange of penalties it seemed as though the Scarlets would run out of time to take anything from this match. However they were thrown a lifeline with 73 minutes on the clock. Ian Madigan playing out of position at full back followed a high kick from Sexton. Liam Williams climbed for the ball and was upended by, it has to be said, the stationary Madigan. Somewhat harshly perhaps Madigan saw yellow and given the timing would play no further part.

Could the Scarlets turn the screw? Could they be street wise and get a result, if only a draw? Could they show themselves worthy of an European Cup quarter final, as they consistently had been in the past?

No.

Maybe the best example of how the Scarlets threw their chances away was a penalty on the 10 yard line with the clock in injury time. Priestland's kick went into touch in goal and took with it the Scarlet's European Cup hopes for another season.

HT 0-11
FT 13-20

Attendance - not enough
My man of the match - Shane Jennings
Official man of the match - Mike Ross

Teams:
Scarlets:
15-9 Williams, North, Maule(c), Williams, Fenby, Priestland, Knoyle
1-8 John, Rees, Lee, Earle, Snyder, Shingler, Turnbull, McCusker.

Leinster:
15-9 Madigan, Nacewa, O Driscoll, D'Arcy, McFadden, Sexton, Reddan
1-8 Healy, Cronin, Ross, Cullen (c), Browne, McLaughlin, Jennings, Heaslip