Rugby, Leinster has no mercy on Benetton: Monigo scores 9 tries, ends 17-61

Piantella and Cannone save the honor of the green-and-whites, but the Dubliners are celebrating. And now the United Rugby Championship playoffs are further away

TREVISO. No way. Impossible to compete with the leaders giving 24 players to the national team (plus the injured, eh) while the squad of champions is overflowing with talent. So Benetton cannot help but collect the third defeat in a row without taking home even a bonus point, in a triptych (Warriors, Sharks, Leinster) heavily conditioned by the 6 Nations. The goals of Piantella and Cannone are not enough, the Dubliners score 4 times in the first half and 5 in the second half. In the end it is 17-61 for Leinster.

Before the match, a change of formation at Benetton Rugby should be noted: Lorenzo Pani leaves his place from number 14 to Luca Sperandio, with Tommy Bell taking the number 23 on the bench. The match begins and Leinster immediately gains many meters thanks to a constant and effective multiphase in attack. And from the developments of a maul it is Deegan who crushes the first half of the afternoon. Ross Byrne transforms. Then the Lions return forward, Leinster makes an offside line and then Benetton have a free-kick from a good position. Rhyno Smith hits the posts and the visitors are 3-7 up. The Dubliners, however, continue to grind the game and gain meters thanks to fouls whistled against the Treviso players.

So from a throw-in on the green-and-white five meters, the advancing cart of the Irish sets the goal with Cronin. Ross Byrne converts from the pitch. The moment is propitious for Cullen’s men, who find the third mark thanks to the gap found by Larmour. Byrne Ross turns again and the guests are ahead 3-21. Bortolami’s men are unable to find fluidity in the possession of the oval, while the Dubliners do not stop and place the goal of the offensive bonus with Ross Byrne, who gains weight from the pitch. We go to the changing rooms with the guests in control for 3-28.

The recovery begins and Bortolami inserts Drudi and Steyn for Zani and Halafihi. Benetton creates a hole with Drago and Smith, but they don’t cross the goal line. Meanwhile Traoré enters for Tetaz. Leinster, on the other hand, concretizes with Cronin’s brace from maul, Byrne is still precise. Until Benetton finds the first goal of the day with the nice acceleration of Nicola Piantella. Smith transforms. But the Irish immediately retaliate and go to crush the sixth goal with Tracy, always as an advancing cart. Byrne is not wrong this time either. Other changes at Benetton, with the entry of Baravalle, Petrozzi, Zanon, Izekor and Bell.

Meanwhile Leinster still goes to dunk with Jimmy O’Brien, Byrne converts and the Dubliners lead 10-49. Still a drive destination for guests with Tracy at the helm, Byrne is not aiming for the poles this time. The Lions in the final find the goal with Lorenzo Cannone, Smith is on time from the pitch. At the end of the match O’Brien’s try and its transformation mark the end of the match, with the Dubliners winning 17-61.