URC play-off semi-final
Leinster (13) 20
Tries: Ioane, Gibson-Park Cons: Prendergast, Byrne Pens: Prendergast 2
Stormers (8) 11
Tries: Smith Cons: Pens: Matthee 2
Leinster will face the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship final for the second straight year after the Irish province overcame the Stormers in a bruising semi-final at Aviva Stadium.
Desperate to end the season with silverware after suffering more Champions Cup final heartache at the hands of Bordeaux-Begles last month, Leinster toppled a ferocious Stormers side to take a significant step towards retaining the URC title.
Fast-starting Leinster raced into a 13-0 lead through Rieko Ioane’s try and two Sam Prendergast penalties.
But the Stormers shook off a sluggish start and reduced the deficit to five points with an Adre Smith try and Jurie Matthee’s penalty before the sides clashed in the tunnel at half-time.
While a second Matthee penalty brought the South African side to within two points, their ill-discipline ultimately proved costly, with Leolin Zas yellow carded early in the second half before Ruan Ackermann’s yellow for a dangerous clean out on Ronan Kelleher was upgraded to a 20-minute red.
Salmaan Moerat was also sent to the sin bin for kicking the ball out of Jamison Gibson-Park’s hands in the build-up to the Leinster scrum-half’s try which sealed the holders’ place in the Croke Park final on 19 June.
More to follow.
Line-ups
Leinster: H Keenan; J O’Brien, R Ioane, J Osborne, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, T Clarkson, J McCarthy, J Ryan, M Deegan, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).
Replacements: G McCarthy, A Usanov, R Slimani, D Mangan, J Conan, L McGrath, H Byrne, G Ringrose.
Stormers: D Willemse; W Simelane, R Nel (capt), D du Plessis, L Zas; J Matthee, I Khan; N Mchunu, A Venter, N Fouche, A Smith, C Evans, P de Villiers, B Dixon, E Roos.
Replacements: J Kotze, V Matongo, Z Porthen, S Moerat, R Ackermann, M Theunissen, S Ungerer, W Gelant.
Sin-bin: Zas (47), Moerat (71)
Red card: Ackermann (69)
