
Rugby
Share
Published 12:39 13 Oct 2021 BST
Updated 13:18 13 Oct 2021 BST
Explore more on these topics:
Adam Byrne celebrates after scoring Leinster's third try against Zebre with team-mate Jimmy O'Brien. (Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile)[/caption]
There was debate in the House of Rugby studio before the show even started recording. The presenting team had assumed Adam Byrne's second try against Zebre would be a lock for a 'Try of the Week' nomination.
Instead, I used my veto to get Byrne's first try in there. It may have been the winger's first Leinster try in two years, after a rough run of injuries and rehab, but the team try element swayed me.
It starts with Devin Toner towering above the rest to claim a Sean Cronin restart before the hooker received the ball back and peeled off the maul. Cronin found Jamie Osborne on the charge, and the centre sucked in three Zebre players with a powerful carry:
Luke McGrath arrived on the scene and found Dan Leavy, who drew in more bodies with his carry.
Leinster were fully loaded on the right wing. With Byrne (circled) staying out on the touchline, they just needed to draw the interest of a couple more defenders and get the ball out wide, and as quick as possible.
They did so when prop Ed Byrne received the next McGrath pass and swivelled back to pop the ball to Sexton, who was sprinting to his right.
Sexton still had fullback Jimmy O'Brien to choose from, and the indefatigable Cronin, who shifted to get out in support, but he backed himself to slide Byrne in with a tracer-bullet pass.
Byrne took the ball on the charge (as you can see below) and dived over in the corner for an excellent score:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CU5k5CIqfKd/
That score beat out Nathan Doak's first try for Ulster, against Treviso, and a super Edinburgh move that resulted in a try for the flying Darcy Graham.
As that debate was taking place, on Sunday afternoon, Munster were filleting a strong Scarlets side.
Johann van Graan's men beat the Welsh outfit 43-13 and ran in six tries along the way. Calvin Nash went airborne to score a first half stunner, but Liam Coombes' brace takes some beating.
The first [you can see both below] saw Neil Cronin fake to go left, after a scrum, and spin to find Ben Healy to his right. The Munster outhalf then launched a booming pass into the bread-basket of Nash, who dusted Steff Evans before timing his pass to put Coombes away.
The second - to my mind - topped that again.
On 57 minutes, leading 29-13 on the scoreboard, Healy put up a high ball that Scarlets could not deal with and Munster made a 20-metre gain, and got the ball back. After being repelled, over on the right flank, they spread play left before Jack O'Donoghue made a 30-metre line break and put through a grubber kick.
Coombes was in pursuit, with Wales and Lions centre Jonathan Davies trying to mop up, but his handling here was top-notch. He stooped to gather with just his left hand, clutched it to his ribs and dived to dot down - all in one fluid move.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/1448244495104069635
It was a wonderful score fro Coombes and justification for van Graan when he selected a lot of younger players to head to Parc Y Scarlets and take on an experienced Welsh side.
There will be tougher tests ahead for these provinces - starting with the first inter-pro of the season between Munster and Connacht - but these scores are an exciting portent of what is to come.
WATCH THAT FULL EPISODE HERE:
Ex-Leinster star reveals poor form from IRFU which led to Lowe exit
Not great. It has been one of the saddest departures from Irish rugby, James Lowe leaving Leinster at the end of the season to play with Suntory Sungoliath. There had been a lot of speculation as to what specifically went wrong with his contract negotiations, that one of Ireland’s top players could not be kept […]
Rugby
2 weeks ago
Angry Leinster fans lay blame on club and IRFU for controversial James Lowe exit
A sad day. Earlier today it was confirmed that Leinster winger, James Lowe, will be leaving Irish rugby at the end of his contract this summer. The 33-year-old has been linked with a move to Japanese club, Tokto Suntory Songoliath. It has been reported that Lowe is unhappy with how things ended with Leinster and […]
Rugby
2 weeks ago
Rugby
English rugby legend accused of lavish lifestyle after bankruptcy
Rugby