United Rugby Championship, round 17
Leinster (14) 31
Trying to: J Osborne, Clarkson, Keenan, J O’Brien Disadvantages: Prendergast 2, Frawley
Lions (7) 7
Try: Horn Disadvantages: Smith
Leinster boosted their hopes of a home berth in the United Rugby Championship with a bonus-point win at the Aviva Stadium.
Jamie Osborne and Thomas Clarkson opened the scoring for the home side before Lions captain Franckke Horn broke the deadlock before the break.
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After soaking up a lot of pressure from the visitors in the third quarter, Leinster extended their lead through substitute Hugo Keenan.
Rieko Ioane grabbed a bonus point before Jimmy O’Brien added the gloss to the scoreline in the last minute.
The result ends the Lions’ six-match run and moves Leinster from fifth to third in the URC table, with the top four after the final round of regular season fixtures next weekend enjoying home advantage in the play-offs.
The Lions dropped to fifth place, a point ahead of the Bulls.
After his seniors beat Toulon last week to return to the Champions Cup final, Leinster boss Leo Cullen made 12 changes, with Ireland full-back Osborne making his mark quickly after being booked as he chased down his own second-minute kick.
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And after the Lions lost Ruan Venter to injury, Leinster thought they had a second try when Prendergast touched down in the corner, but it was ruled out after Jimmy O’Brien was ruled offside in the build-up.
The Lions also scored an offside try when Erich Cronje was ruled offside when he challenged Luke McGrath in the ruck before back-rower Sibabalwe Mahashe stepped up and pulled off a fine solo effort.
And when Leinster got their second through prop Thomas Clarkson, Horn passed through a gap in the home defense to leave it seven points in time.
Leinster are chasing the URC and Champions Cup double [Getty Images]
After Cullen introduced experienced rowers Andrew Porter, Rabah Slimani and Dan Sheehan, Leinster were pinned in the early stages of the second half before a powerful interception from Diarmuid Mangan.
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And after their patience was tested, Leinster finally got a third when Keenan – who replaced Prendergast – raced past a tired Lions defense to score after good work from Jamie Osborne and Ioane.
With the Lions fading, Ioane scored a bonus point before O’Brien rounded off the program with the home side’s fifth try.
Leinster host the Ospreys next weekend while the Lions face Munster.
Leinster: Frawley; A Osborne, Ioane, J Osborne, J O’Brien; Prendergast, McGrath; E Byrne, McKee, Clarkson, Deeny, Ryan (capt), Deegan, Connors, Culhane.
Replacement: Sheehan, Porter, Slimani, Mangan, Penny, Gunne, Cooney, Keenan.
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Lions: Q Horn; Cronje, Van Wyk, Kriel, A Davids; Smith, Van den Berg; Kotze, Botha, Ntlabakanye, Oosthuizen, Nothnagel, Mahashe, Venter, F Horn (capt).
Replacement: Marais, E Davids, Lombard, Landsberg, Hlekani, Pretorius, Steyn, Mpeku.
