Guinness PRO14 champions Leinster went toe-to-toe with Saracens in a Champions Cup cliffhanger but came up short in a 20-10 defeat. Leo Cullen’s side, who topped Conference B in the PRO14, led early on through prop Tadhg Furlong but former Glasgow Warriors man Sean Maitland’s try left scores level at half-time. Billy Vunipola’s second-half try handed Saracens the initiative and despite frantic late efforts, Leinster were narrowly beaten. The Irish province struck first, securing ball from the lineout and Saracens straying offside from the resulting move, Sexton stroking over the first points on a sun-soaked afternoon in the north-east. A frantic opening period was monopolised by the Gallagher Premiership side but they were repelled by Leinster’s collision dominance, the covering Luke McGrath scrambling to deny Alex Goode. Rob Kearney’s linebreak in the 28th minute was the turning point as Leinster turned the screw, an initial surge for the whitewash from Cian Healy denied by the TMO. Saracens counted the cost of soaking up such pressure, with Maro Itoje sin-binned for repeated offside offences and props Mako Vunipola and Richard Barrington forced to withdraw with injuries. Leinster breached their rearguard on 32 minutes when Jack Conan broke from the base of a scrum, Sean O’Brien burrowed for the line before Furlong trucked the ball over for the first try. Mark McCall’s men showed the resilience to immediately strike back, Farrell kicking three points before brilliance from the England fly-half sent Maitland over in the corner to tie the game. Leinster were spoiling for the second half and were a miraculous Liam Williams turnover away from regaining the lead, the Welsh back ripping the ball off Garry Ringrose to stymie an attack. In response, the combative Jackson Wray picked a gap and started a move that unerringly mirrored Leinster’s first try. Richard Barrington’s just failing to dot down on the base of the posts and Scott Fardy was yellow-carded on the offside line, Farrell kicking the three to put his side ahead for the first time. And the Saracens score had a familiar feel to it as Vunipola picked up from the back of a scrum, brushed off two tacklers and planted his paw over the line, Farrell adding extras to make it 20-10. Leinster’s attention will now return to the Guinness PRO14 and the prospect of a semi-final clash with rivals Munster, set for next Saturday at the RDS Arena at 14:30.
