United Rugby Championship semi-final: Leinster v Glasgow Warriors
Leinster (25) 37
Tries: Sheehan 2, Osborne 2, Clarkson, Frawley Con: Prendergast 2 Pen: Prendergast
Glasgow Warriors (5) 19
Tries: Horne, Dobie, Tuipulotu Con: Jordan 2
Six-try Leinster overpowered Glasgow Warriors to oust the reigning champions and cruise into their first United Rugby Championship final.
The visitors responded to conceding a try to Dan Sheehan after only three minutes by scoring at the other end immediately through George Horne.
But Leinster added three more of their own – through Jamie Osborne, Thomas Clarkson and Sheehan – by half-time
Second-half tries from Osborne and Ciaran Frawley extinguished hopes of an unlikely comeback before consolations from Jamie Dobie and Sione Tuipulotu.
It means Leinster, who had endured three straight URC semi-final defeats, head into next weekend’s final against either Bulls or Sharks still on course for a ninth title.
The Irish side started as favourites after ending the regular season top of the table and having thrashed Warriors 52-0 in the Champions Cup quarter-final eight weeks ago.
Leinster’s standards had dropped since their own defeat by Northampton in the European semis, with a shadow Glasgow side proving tougher opponents when going down 13-5 in the URC three weeks ago.
The hosts, though, were immediately in the ascendency and Jamison Gibson-Park floated a pass for hooker Sheehan to exploit a gap and touch down under the posts.
Sam Prendergast added the extras, but Glasgow responded instantly. Tuipulotu sent Kyle Rowe racing down the left wing and his kick inside sent Horne diving over the line unchallenged.
The scrum-half missed a fairly simple conversion, but the try had Glasgow dreaming of a first win by a Scottish team – club or national – at the Aviva Stadium.
However, despite Prendergast having one try ruled out for crossing, the Leinster fly-half was soon adding to the scoreline as the hosts were given a penalty in front of the posts.
After a crunching tackle halted Glasgow’s Tom Jordan, Leinster exploited the space behind and Osborne raced through under the posts only for Gibson-Park’s pass to be ruled forward.
Osborne did not have to wait long for his try, the centre racing down the left wing to touch down in the corner from James Lowe’s offload.
Glasgow were rocking now and Leinster were soon across the line again as prop Clarkson powered over despite the attentions of a clutch of Warriors off the back of a scrum.
Sheehan added another try on the stroke of half-time, powering over behind a ruck following a line-out close to the line, to give the Irish side a 20-point advantage at the break.
The gap would have been wider had Prendergast been more accurate with the boot, but with Glasgow pinned back in their own half after the restart, the fly-half made no mistake after Osborne dived over for his second try near the posts.
Replacement fly-half Frawley added another try in the corner before weaving finishes from Dobie and Tuipulotu made the scoreline more respectable for the visitors.
Leinster head coach Leo Cullen: “We reacted really well to Glasgow’s early score. I think we managed the game and the conditions very well.
“It’s all about getting through no matter how we did it, but we made the right decisions throughout the game. We prepared well this week and we will do so again this week.
“We will try to make the travel that one of the South African teams will have to make next week count.”
Glasgow Warriors head coach Franco Smith: “They are a quality outfit and brought a huge performance. I felt their urgency and they put pressure on us.
“On the day, we were not good enough, especially in the first half. We should have started better and then we wouldn’t have had to chase the game. I don’t think the strategy was wrong, they are good at the aerial battle, but I am really proud.
“We had a lot of boys unavailable this week. I must look at the big picture. It was a tough task to come here and win.”
Leinster: Jimmy O’Brien; Tommy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Scott Penny, Jack Conan (capt).
Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Ciaran Frawley.
Glasgow Warriors: Josh McKay; Kyle Steyn (capt), Sione Tuipulotu, Tom Jordan, Kyle Rowe; Adam Hastings, George Horne; Jamie Bhatti, George Hiddleston, Fin Richardson, Alex Samuel, Scott Cummings, Euan Ferrie, Rory Darge, Henco Venter.
Replacements: Johnny Matthews, Rory Sutherland, Sam Talakai, Max Williamson, Jack Mann, Macenzzie Duncan, Stafford McDowall, Jamie Dobie.
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy​​).
