Leinster 6 - 33 Wasps: Heavy loss for Leinster

LEINSTER are already under pressure in their heavyweight European Champions Cup pool after losing 33-6 to a clinical Wasps team at the RDS.

Wasps No 10 Ruaridh Jackson was in fine kicking form in Dublin with 13 of his sides 33 points. Picture: Getty Images)

The Irish province fell to just their third defeat in 15 European pool games, delivering a disappointingly flat performance at the start of a campaign that takes them to Bath next Saturday and defending champions Toulon next month.

The first half bubbled along nicely, European debutant Charles Piutau proving dangerous on the counter and Noel Reid standing out in the Leinster midfield. Wasps took their chances though, Christian Wade’s 29th-minute converted try adding to two penalties by Ruaridh Jackson and one from Elliot Daly for a 16-6 interval lead.

Joe Simpson then combined with Frank Halai for a cracking seven-pointer and during the final half-hour, disjointed Leinster were unable to add to Jonathan Sexton’s two first-half kicks.

A close-range penalty by Jackson, coupled with a last-minute try by man of the match Piutau, condemned Leinster to their heaviest European loss since a defeat by the same scoreline at Toulouse eight years ago.

Ian Madigan was a late inclusion for Leinster at full-back, taking over from Isa Nacewa with Jamie Heaslip resuming as captain. The hosts fell behind to a terrific third-minute penalty by Jackson, who punished a scrum infringement by Jack McGrath.

Playing into a tricky wind, Leinster threatened out wide through Madigan before Sexton punished a Wasps offside to level the scores.

He missed a difficult effort from further out before 20-plus phases yielded a central penalty in the 22 which Sexton tapped over.

A good counter-ruck from George Smith set up a levelling 40-metre kick by Jackson, who found the target with the aid of the left-hand post.

Dai Young’s side moved back in front thanks to a thumping 50-metre strike by Daly, and they gained further momentum with Wade’s opportunist score. Simpson’s clever box kick had Kearney racing back towards his tryline and a cruel bounce made him lose his footing before the hard-chasing Wade swooped to gather and score.

Leinster hammered away at a well-organised Wasps defence approaching the interval, but to no avail.

Having lost both Richardt Strauss and Sean O’Brien to concussion, Leinster had to replace Mike McCarthy on the resumption and they fell further behind just seven minutes in, Halai’s midfield burst and offload sending scrum-half Simpson scampering away to the left of the posts. Jackson converted for 23-6.

Little was going right for Leinster, an overcooked touch-finder by Sexton and a forward pass by replacement Luke McGrath handing possession back to Wasps.

Daly missed another shot off the tee, but Kearney fumbled the off-target kick and Jack Conan played the ball from an offside position, allowing Jackson to slot a close-range penalty just moments later.

Despite some bright play by Fergus McFadden and eager youngster Garry Ringrose, Leinster leaked another try in the final seconds.

Sailosi Tagicakibau was short near the right corner, but television match official Philippe Bonhoure ruled that the ball bounced backwards as it fell into the hands of the waiting Piutau, whose debut Champions Cup score was expertly converted by replacement Alex Lozowski.