Dave Kearney hat-tricks helps PRO14 finalists Leinster see off Zebre
Dave Kearney scored a hat-trick of tries as Leinster recorded a 48-31 victory over Zebre in Parma.
Leo Cullen’s men clinched a place in the PRO14 final by beating Ulster last weekend and maintained the momentum in their penultimate match of the regular season.
Dan Sheehan, Cian Kelleher, Luke McGrath and Kearney all went over in the first half as the defending champions raced to a bonus point despite losing Alex Soroka to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
Giovanni D’Onofrio touched down for Zebre early in the second half, but a Pierre Bruno yellow card proved costly as Sheehan immediately added his second try before Kearney went over twice more to complete his treble.
Eduardo Bello and Niccolo Taddia crossed for the battling hosts in the closing stages, but there was no way back by that point.
Leinster host the Ospreys next Friday before taking on Munster in the final on March 27.
Zebre – missing 15 of their Italy internationals – opened up a 6-0 lead as Antonio Rizzi split the posts with a pair of early penalties, but Leinster soon had their noses in front when Sheehan plucked the ball from the back of a ruck and stretched for the line under the posts, with Harry Byrne adding the extras.
Byrne was on target again to kick Leinster into a 10-6 advantage, but the visitors then came under pressure from some neat Zebre build-up play – a period that ended with Soroka in the bin for a high tackle and Rizzi reducing the arrears to one.
Leinster looked the more dangerous despite being a man light and crossed for their second try when Kelleher went over in the corner, with Byrne making it 17-9 from a challenging position.
The Leinster penalty count was keeping Zebre in touch, with Rizzi adding another, but the visitors surged clear before the interval.
McGrath reaped the rewards of his own charge-down to score before Kearney brushed off challenges on the left wing to go over for the bonus point as Byrne stayed perfect from the tee.
The second half got off to a promising start for Zebre, who registered their first try of the match when D’Onofrio collected Jamie Elliott’s excellent pass to run for the line, and Pizzi’s conversion made it 31-19.
However, Bruno saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on soon after and the indiscretion was swiftly and severely punished, with Sheehan burrowing over for his second before Kearney doubled his own tally by leaping for the left corner, with Hugh O’Sullivan converting the latter.
Kearney wriggled in off the left wing for his third try to make it 48-19 after 64 minutes, the 31-year-old wing standing out in an otherwise youthful Leinster side.
Bello and Taddia touched down with time running out, but the damage had already been done by Leinster.
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It certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
Go to commentsHis best years were 2018 and he wasn't good enough to win the World Cup in 2023! (Although he was voted as the best player in the world in 2023)
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