Leinster send a message to European rivals with dominant victory

LEINSTER 33-15 CASTRES

Castres were dead and buried well before the 50th minute. Leinster are looking close to their best after making short work of Castres at the RDS, this afternoon. Leo Cullen's side used the rolling maul to devastating effect to steam-roll the Top 14 outfit and save enough gas, and legs, for next weekend's away trip to Montpellier. While Robbie Henshaw, Garry Ringrose and Joey Carbery did their best to get the crowd involved, in the opening 20 minutes, it was Sean Cronin that did the bulk of the scoring. The Ireland hooker finished off one maul after tossing in from the line-out and then crashed over for his second try soon after. Leinster went 19-3 up after prop Jack McGrath became the next forward to power through brittle Castres lines. The visitors' sole response was a converted penalty try that saw Luke McGrath sin-binned for nipping into a ruck from the side. 19-10 at the break and a sucker punches go it was a pretty sound one. https://www.instagram.com/p/BLlokuRhP70/?taken-by=sportsjoedotie Castres could get right back into the game with an early score or two while Leinster were down to 14 men. Instead, a swathing Isa Nacewa line break was the knock-out blow that secured a bonus point. Thereafter, Cullen rested some of his big names, gave subs good stints off the bench and his side sought to improve their points difference. A penalty try - after several re-set scrums and back slaps for Mike Ross - certainly helped but they leaked another late try for what felt like the umpteenth match running. Castres head for home with nothing with sore bodies and bad memories. Leinster will faces bigger challenges but there was something comforting in how comfortably they viced the life out of their hapless opponents. Catch up with the latest episode of Football Friday Live