Leinster ease past Treviso

Leinster overcame resistance from a spirited Benetton Treviso side before emerging as 30-5 winners in their Magners League encounter at the RDS on Friday night.

With the hosts offering a far better line in clinical finishing, stand-in captain Isa Nacewa kicked three early penalties to set the home side on their way.

David Kearney and Ian McKinley also scored tries either side of half-time for Leinster, with Treviso flanker Gonzalo Padro touching down in first-half injury-time.

The Italians survived the sin-binning of lock Corniel van Zyl without shipping further points, but the 25-point winning margin was sealed when Leinster winger Andrew Conway crossed for a late try, which Nacewa converted.

Treviso's New Zealand-born full-back Joe Maddock was an early threat but winger Benjamin de Jager was unable to supply the finish in the corner.

Nacewa kicked three penalties in the opening 15 minutes, but Treviso outside-half Willem de Waal was found wanting when he attempted to kick two - admittedly difficult - efforts.

Leinster scored their first try in the 28th minute when outside-half McKinley skipped away from de Waal's attempted tackle, with his offload then sending Kearney into the 22 before he stepped inside Maddock to score by the posts. Nacewa converted for a 16-0 lead.

Reward

But Treviso refused to roll over and got their reward after their pack built up a head of steam. De Waal kicked a penalty to touch and although Leinster initially held out, a subsequent drive saw Padro cross in the left corner for an unconverted score.

Leading 16-5 at the break, Leinster put the result beyond doubt with a superb counter-attacking try in the 46th minute.

The charge was led by Dominic Ryan, with Isaac Boss, McKinley, Nacewa and Kearney all involved before McKinley jinked past the final defender to score to the left of the posts, with Nacewa again converting.

Van Zyl was yellow-carded for persistent infringing in the ruck 10 minutes later, but problems at the set-piece prevented Leinster from turning pressure into further points.

They did have a try ruled out for a forward pass from Richardt Strauss, however, just as Kearney looked set to score his second of the evening.

The third try finally came in injury-time, with Conway touching down in the right corner after a long pass from replacement Ian Madigan was kicked on by Strauss.