Guinness PRO12: Zebre 10-27 Leinster

A Dan Leavy try two minutes from time completed a 27-10, bonus-point victory for Leinster over Zebre in the Guinness PRO12 in Parma.

Tries from Luke McGrath and Dominic Ryan gave the Irish side a 12-3 half-time lead before Adam Byrne and Leavy sealed matters for the visitors, with skipper Isa Nacewa offering seven points with the boot.

Former Leinster player Ian McKinley kicked Zebre's points off the tee, while flanker Federico Ruzza scored a try for the home side.

The result sees Leinster retain second spot in the PRO12 standings, one point behind provincial rivals Connacht who have played one game more.

Leinster got the scoring under way from an attacking lineout. Zebre defended the maul, but McGrath caught opposite number Fabio Semenzato off guard when he darted over from the blindside of a ruck.

Nacewa missed the conversion, but Leinster continued to exert territorial pressure and were rewarded with their second try as the first quarter closed out. McGrath released Peter Dooley into the opposition 22 and the prop passed to the supporting Ryan, who dived in under the posts for an easy conversion that took Leinster to a 12-0 lead.

McKinley then got Zebre off the mark with a penalty in the 28th minute, and with the first half closing out in scrappy fashion, no further scoring opportunities presented themselves.

The Zebre defence frustrated Leinster after the break, but a Nacewa penalty in the 46th minute restored the 12-point advantage.

Five minutes later, Academy talent Byrne broke through for his second successive try when he side-footed a Marsh chip past Mils Muliaina and touched down ahead of the cover defence.

Nacewa's conversion widened the margin to 22-3 before Zebre came back into the contest, threatening out wide through Kayle van Zyl who was tackled into touch by Ryan.

Leinster were on the back foot as a prolonged spell of pressure deep in their half earned the hosts their try through Ruzza, who muscled over from a ruck in front of the posts.

McKinley added the extras to set up a tense finish, but Leinster had the final say. Having won a series of penalties in the opposition 22, a lineout drive splintered the Zebre pack and saw Leavy dot down at the back for the bonus-point win.