Marching on: Leinster

Leinster took another step towards reclaiming their Heineken Cup climax on Saturday as they dejected Cardiff Blues 34-3 in a biased fixture.

It was a opening of champions from final year’s winners, with their first-half shell shell-shocking a Welsh segment during a home of Irish rugby. They contingency now wait to see either they will go to Twickenham or Bordeaux in a semis.

The early ring saw Leinster suffer most of a early prevalence during scrum-time as they worked over their Welsh opponents, in sold a front-row. That was a height they used to competition into a healthy lead that saw them go in during half-time 27-3 up. A Cardiff quip looked impossible.

Isa Nacewa, Rob Kearney and Brian O’Driscoll scored a tries in a initial 40 minutes, with a latter’s bid set to be a hopeful for try of a year.

Cardiff Blues were struggling for any pattern, possession and some-more importantly domain as Leigh Halfpenny’s chastisement was all they had put on a board. That flog from stretch brought fake wish for a Blues, who were blank harmed twin Sam Warburton and Jamie Roberts.

Their initial try took only twelve mins to arrive when Jonathan Sexton glided into space inside a Blues half and afterwards fed Kearney who straightened good before pulling a round out to wing Nacewa. Sexton’s acclimatisation was a start of a reigning champions’ surge.

With a measure 10-3, Leinster were penetrating to supplement to their advantage and did only that when Eoin Reddan’s scurry adult a center of a margin led to full-back Kearney cruising over.

Three mins after and it was a spin of O’Driscoll in what was a special try in front of a supporters during Aviva Stadium. A pleasing no-look pass from Sexton off discerning line-out round put Luke Fitzgerald by a opening and with O’Driscoll on his shoulder, it was a elementary run-in.

Floodgates well-and-truly open one would consider with not even 35 mins on a clock.

Leinster did start a second-half a same approach they finished a initial and were over for their fourth try on 46 mins when O’Driscoll’s inside pass authorised Kearney to get his brace. The rugby was another turn adult from a inhabitant side who had recently played during a venue.

The way would not continue for Joe Schmidt’s side yet as larger solve from a Blues saw them keep Leinster from scoring in a final 33 minutes. In fact, they suspicion they had scored themselves when maestro openside flanker Martyn Williams went over on a hour mar, though a Television Match Official ruled he had unsuccessful to belligerent a ball.

The quarter-final was prolonged left in law as Leinster transposed a likes of short-term signing Brad Thorn and O’Driscoll and cruised into a final 4 strife with Saracens or Clermont.

The scorers:

For Leinster:
Tries: Nacewa, Kearney 2, O’Driscoll
Con: Sexton 4
Pen: Sexton 2

For Cardiff Blues:
Pen: Halfpenny

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Isa Nacewa, 13 Brian O’Driscoll, 12 Gordon D’Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O’Brien, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Brad Thorn, 4 Leo Cullen (capt), 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Heinke outpost der Merwe, 18 Nathan White, 19 Devin Toner, 20 Shane Jennings, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Fergus McFadden.

Cardiff Blues: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Dafydd Hewitt, 11 Tom James, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Xavier Rush (capt), 7 Martyn Williams, 6 Michael Paterson, 5 James Down, 4 Bradley Davies, 3 Scott Andrews, 2 Marc Breeze, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Kristian Dacey, 17 John Yapp, 18 Sam Hobbs, 19 Macauley Cook, 20 Maama Molitika, 21 Richie Rees, 22 Ceri Sweeney, 23 Gavin Evans.

Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gauzere (France), David Changleng (Scotland)