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Leinster nil Harlequins in Champions Cup spanking for the ages
By PA
Leinster coasted into the Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals after crushing Harlequins 62-0 at Croke Park.
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The four-time tournament winners were never troubled as they continued their quest for a first title success since 2018.
Leinster were beaten in the last three Champions Cup finals, and they are once again building ominously at the competition’s business end, with Quins being effortlessly brushed aside.
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British and Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell looked on as Leinster established control through first-half tries for fly-half Sam Prendergast, lock Joe McCarthy and wing Jamie Osborne, while Prendergast added two conversions.
And the second period proved an even greater tale of dominance as flanker Josh van der Flier, centre Garry Ringrose and hooker Dan Sheehan added further touchdowns, with Prendergast kicking another conversion.
Leinster were also awarded a penalty try before Ross Byrne converted his own try and wing James Lowe crossed twice during the final three minutes, with Byrne converting the second.
Quins produced a damp-squib display, being unable to test Leinster in any department, and there will be a great deal of soul-searching in their camp.
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Leigh Halfpenny sent a long-range penalty just short of the Leinster posts as Quins made a bright start, with Marcus Smith looking to spark their attacking game.
But Leinster, after absorbing initial pressure, rocked their opponents by scoring two tries in three minutes.
Prendergast scored the opener following strong approach work by Sheehan, then McCarthy crossed when Quins ran out of defenders, with Prendergast’s conversion opening up a 12-point lead.
All of Quins’ early promise had evaporated, and with Van der Flier in rampaging form, it was more strong work from him that created a 28-minute try for Osborne that Prendergast converted.
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Quins then lost scrum-half Will Porter to injury after he was hurt during the build-up for Osborne’s score, with Danny Care replacing him.
Quins continued to find it tough going, particularly against a watertight Leinster defence, and the Irish heavyweights took a 19-0 lead into the interval without ever hitting top gear.
The visitors had a mountain to climb when Leinster collected a fourth try within five minutes of the restart after a relentless lineout drive ended in Van der Flier touching down.
And there were signs of the floodgates being prised open when the outstanding Van der Flier delivered a scoring pass to Ringrose, who finished impressively, before Prendergast’s conversion took Leinster past 30 points.
The home side were in no mood to take a foot off the pedal, and they reverted to their power-game for try number six when Sheehan was driven over from a close-range lineout.
Quins simply had no answer, and there were still 14 minutes left when referee Pierre Brousset gave a penalty try and yellow-carded replacement Luke Northmore following a deliberate knock-on that prevented a score.
Byrne’s try and conversion clocked up the half-century, and Quins were then briefly reduced to 13 players when Jamie Benson received a yellow card for tackling a player early, before Lowe’s double completed the rout.
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