First-half tries from Marty Moore, Dave Kearney, Eoin Reddan and Sean Cronin mean Leinster already have their try-scoring bonus point. Three more in the second half equalled a 50-8 throttling for wretched Castres
The opening try arrived after less than three minutes as Leinster secured Cronin’s line-out and pulled off a pre-planned move. Dave Kearney darted in off his wing, Ian Madigan exchanged passes with Jimmy Gopperth before the inside centre popped a ball for Kearney to clutch on the charge and punch through the middle for a score.
The was further reason for Leinster supporters to be gleeful, on nine minutes, as a front row featuring Moore – selected ahead of Mike Ross – won a scrum penalty. The hosts opted to turn down two kickable penalties but handling errors twice let them down inside the Castres 22. Their profligacy was magnified, on 22 minutes, when Rory Kockott’s penalty made it 7-3.
The next chance Leinster got, the went for the sticks and Madigan made no mistake for a 10-3 lead. As the half wore on, and Leinster pressed, Rob Kearney and Jordi Murphy made electrifying breaks but the French side held on. The pressure told, however, on 27 minutes as Castres lost a man to the sin-bin and Marty Moore finished off a powerful, rolling maul.
Leinster survived a TMO call as Marcel Garvey had a decent-looking score chalked off. The video replays went in favour of the Blues moments later, down the other end, as Eoin Reddan dived over after a Murphy’s burst took three defenders out. Madigan converted a touchline peach to make it 24-3. Cronin battered through, on 39 minutes, for a converted try that made it 31-3 and wrapped up the B.P.
Rob Kearney almost scored a carbon copy of his length of the pitch intercept try against New Zealand, in 2013, when he was hauled down in the Castres 22. As the second half progressed, Matt O’Connor emptied the bench and may have even allowed thoughts to stray to a huge match away to Wasps next weekend.
Tadhg Furlong was one of the substitutes to profit from charging in against a deflated Castres defence as he finished off a smart break from Richardt Strauss. Darragh Fanning replaced Rob Kearney after 66 minutes and scored, 12 seconds later, with his first touch of the ball.
The visitors answered back with a consolation score from Romain Martial. The conversion sailed wide, Leinster scrum-half Luke McGrath dived over for a converted try and a one-sided match scoreline ended 50-8. 50 bloody 8.
