Near full strength Leinster maintain 100 per cent start to season

Leinster continued their 100 per cent start to the United Rugby Championship season after beating Benetton 35-5 at Stadio Monigo.

After seeing off Edinburgh and Dragons in the opening two rounds, Leinster had the bonus point secured inside 25 minutes against a Benetton team who had lost just once at this venue in any competition since March 2023.

The Irish side were awarded a penalty try in the ninth minute after Benetton pulled down a maul just short of their line, with Mirco Spagnolo receiving a yellow card as a result.

Ciaran Frawley, Jack Conan and Caelan Doris added further tries inside the next 16 minutes, the former converting all three.

Ryan Baird was then sin-binned for Leinster and Benetton, winless this season, took immediate advantage as Marco Manfredi went over, although Leonardo Marin missed the conversion.

Replacement Lee Barron added a fifth try, converted by Ross Byrne, with a minute left as Leinster made it eight matches unbeaten against Benetton.