MONTPELLIER 14-23 LEINSTER
Maybe this lad is going to do just fine…
Leinster have confirmed themselves as top seeds in the upcoming Champions Cup quarter final draw after a superb win over Montpellier in France.
The Irish province went in 14-8 down at half-time despite leading, early on, after a Ross Byrne try and penalty. The match was won in the 15 minutes after the break, however.
Robbie Henshaw got over in the right-hand corner after phase after phase of Leinster pressure and some slick handling from Jamison Gibson Park and Rob Kearney. Byrne then added another penalty before Sean Cronin crashed over for his second try in two games.
That all but did for the French side but, with the likes of Louis Picamoles, Benjamin Fall, Ruan Pienaar and giant Fijian winger Nemani Nadolo in their team, Montpellier kept pressing until the closing moments.
As the game edged into the final quarter, young Leinster star Jordan Larmour stepped up with a big tackle that proves he is ready for the challenges that lie ahead.
Larmour was giving up 98 pounds and eight inches on Nadolo – a man who has steam-rolled many a defender on his day – but refused to panic. He let him go on the outside, rather than opt for a straight up collision, and hopped on his back. While he was up there, both he and Henshaw tied up his arms to prevent an offload.
It was beautiful to watch.
All told, Larmour stuck 8 of his 11 tackles, missing one and falling off another two. Work to be done but he did well to contain the dangerous Nadolo and also made big impacts on Jan Serfontein and Fall.
The 20-year-old has been included in Joe Schmidt’s Ireland squad and it has been suggested, by Brian O’Driscoll notably, that he could get some game-time on the wing during the championship.
As for Leinster, they next have a home quarter final and it will be at the Aviva Stadium in 10 weeks’ time.
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