Leinster came out 28-7 winners against Munster in Friday’s inter-provincial derby in the United Rugby Championship.
Luke McGrath and Sam Prendergast grabbed first half tries for league leaders Leinster at Thomond Park, with Prendergast converting both.
Tom Ahern went over for a try for the hosts early in the second-half to reduce the gap to seven points. That was until Josh van der Flier marked his 150th Leinster appearance with a try to reestablish a 14-point advantage.
It means it is still 2018 since the red side of this divide last tasted victory against Leinster on home soil. So lopsided has this rivalry become that Leo Cullen’s men have succeeded in 14 of the last 16 meetings, regardless of venue, and this one was never really in any doubt.
Take away a brief spark of life after the half-time break and this URC clash had an inescapable whiff of inevitability to it. For Leinster it is an eleventh win from as many games across both competitions this season. Another good day’s work for them.
Routine, even. And that should hurt Munster as much as anything.
The visitors came here with a side loaded with internationals but with another handful off duty due to injuries and IRFU welfare protocols. Munster were just shy of 20 players with fitness issues and Jack Crowley had to rested.
The hosts, with nothing like the same strength in depth, were always going to struggle more because of absent friends and maybe another impressive run from 21-year old Sam Prendergast shows just how loaded Leinster are in the depth chart.
The Ireland out-half certainly enjoyed his first run at this storied venue with a try and eleven points in all. He even squared up to Gavin Coombes at one point and, if he wasn’t perfect, then this was another key marker in his development.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
