Fast start sees Leinster trample on Bulls in United Rugby Championship opener

Leinster 31 Vodacom Bulls 3

Max Deegan of Leinster is tackled by Johan Goosen of Vodacom Bulls during the United Rugby Championship match at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

September 25 2021 08:13 PM

Leinster began the inaugural United Rugby Championship in bonus-point style as they handed Vodacom Bulls a 31-3 beating at the Aviva Stadium.

The loosening of the Covid-19 restrictions allowed a 75 per cent capacity crowd and the PRO14 champions put their best foot forward against the recent Currie Cup winners.

Captain Jonathan Sexton sent over a penalty and converted tries from Josh van der Flier and Andrew Porter - all inside the opening 14 minutes - as Leinster's fast start earned them a 17-3 half-time lead.

Johan Goosen had kicked the Bulls' first URC points but the hosts' defence held firm and further scores from replacements James Tracy and Ross Byrne sealed a convincing victory.

Sexton's fourth-minute penalty got Leinster up and running, with Goosen putting the kick-off out on the full and the Bulls quickly being pinged at the scrum and breakdown.

Some nice passing set up van der Flier to thunder over, the player of the match breaking through a gap before bouncing off David Kriel's attempted tackle to score.

A second seven-pointer followed in the 12th minute as the Bulls lost a lineout and Ciaran Frawley tapped back Sexton's lobbed kick for Garry Ringrose to send prop Porter over from close range.

Just when the Bulls were building momentum, James Ryan stole a lineout and van der Flier forced a penalty.

The latter also denied Cornal Hendricks a try but Goosen's simple 22nd-minute penalty opened the visitors' account.

That try continued to elude the South Africans despite some impressive phases. Madosh Tambwe weaved over on the left but had his scored chalked off for a prior knock-on.

Into the second half, Leinster emerged scoreless from a promising early spell, James Lowe's decision to take a quick tap ultimately coming to nothing.

They increased their lead in the 56th minute. The Bulls got fingertips to a lineout but Rhys Ruddock retrieved it and a well-directed maul put Tracy over before Sexton converted in his final act.

The Bulls' last try-scoring chance was foiled by a double tackle on Elrigh Louw.

Leinster soon countered slickly from a kick, with Frawley the instigator and a pace-laden attack finished with Ringrose putting Byrne over on the left.