Leinster 55 Dragons 3

Newport Gwent Dragons, without their eight Welsh international squad members and the injured Nathan Brew, could not mount a serious challenge to Heineken Cup quarter-finalists Leinster at Lansdowne Road yesterday.

What began as a damage limitation exercise temporarily threatened to become something more when full back Sione Tuipulotu knocked on ten metres out, left wing Ben Breeze was beaten to a clever kick through by the touchline and, finally, centre Percy Montgomery blasted a long distance penalty goal to make it 3-3.

The Dragons were finding their feet after an initial onslaught that yielded nothing more than a David Holwell penalty in the fifth minute.

There were encouraging signs all over the park. Sure, Leinster were swinging the ball back and forth at speed and making inroads, but the Dragons were not giving way.

For all the trickery and invention Leinster mustered, the Dragons kept them out of the danger zone through a mix of organisation and Montgomery's metronomic relieving clearances.

But after Montgomery's penalty, Leinster swept downfield and Breeze made an instant choice to come in off the wing and dislodge the ball from Reggie Corrigan, but referee Dave Changleng brought play back for Holwell to make it 6-3 from 35 yards.

Then, Malcolm O'Kelly took two line-outs five metres out and from the second Corrigan drove on, twisting to find Gissing in support, and the maul was in place to provide the first try.

Shortly afterwards, Contepomi made the initial incision through Steve Winn, D'Arcy drew in Tuipulotu and Horgan strolled over on the right for Holwell to convert.

Guy Easterby them tore a hole around the Gwent fringe and Niall Ronan carried the ball on before Dragons lock Neil Edwards was sin-binned for slowing down the ruck ball. Corrigan called for the scrum and a pushover looked the likely option.

However, Easterby fed Holwell and his cute grubber was planted down by Contepomi for another Holwell conversion and a 27-3 lead at the break. Holwell's smart kick to an unmarked Contepomi was controlled at the second attempt and Shane Horgan, steaming up inside, took the pass for the fourth try and bonus point. It goes without saying that Holwell converted.

It was difficult not to feel sympathy towards the Dragons replacement forwards Adam Black, Rhys Thomas, Matthew Veater and Kieran Crawford as they put their shoulders to an engine running on empty.

When D'Arcy's power almost got him to the line, Denis Hickie picked up the scraps for another try. Ronan spectacularly skated through the middle, chipped over the top and retrieved the ball for the sixth and Hickie's evasion skills were seen to good effect for the seventh.

Holwell completed a flawless night by adding his seventh conversion to two penalties for 20 points.

Leinster: G Dempsey; S Horgan (G Brown 45min), F Contepomi, G D'Arcy (D Quinlan 63min), D Hickie; D Holwell, G Easterby (B O'Riordan 63min); R Corrigan (R Nebbett 63min)), S Byrne (D Blaney 63min), E Byrne, B Gissing, M O'Kelly, C Potts A McCullen 63min), N Ronan (V Costello 63min), E Miller. Scorers: tries: S Horgan (2), D Hickie (2), N Ronan, B Gissing, F Contepomi; conversions: D Holwell (7); penalties: Holwell (2).

Newport Gwent Dragons: S Tuipulotu (R Payne 79min), G Wyatt, P Montgomery, S Winn, B Breeze (G Chapman 73min), C Warlow, G Baber, R Snow (A Black 57min), J Richards (K Crawford 66min), C Anthony (R Thomas 57min), N Edwards, P Sidoli, J Ringer (M Veater 66min), J Forster (capt), R Oakley. Scorers: penalty: P Montgomery. Referee: D Changleng (Scotland).