Jimmy O’Brien scores four as ruthless Leinster run 10 tries past Bath

On a freezing day in Bath, Leinster delivered with ice-cool precision to secure a bonus-point victory before half-time. Jimmy O’Brien scored four of their 10 tries as the Irish province boosted their hopes of a favourable draw in the knockout stages of the Champions Cup. If there was a positive for the hosts, they displayed no lack or spirit or effort, but were hopelessly outclassed by a Leinster outfit crammed with international quality.

The Bath coach, Neal Hatley, had likened the Leinster fly-half Jonathan Sexton to Yoda before kick-off, with England’s new recruit Orlando Bailey in the role of Luke Skywalker: a box-office duel between opposing No 10s at very different stages of their careers. It was a catchy line but there could be no question, by the end, which player had demonstrated true mastery of their art. Sexton was sublime as he so often is: passing and kicking with relentless accuracy and variation, unleashing Leinster’s glittering array of attacking talent, leaving Bath bereft. The Premiership side were too often undermined by a misfiring set piece.

Before last week’s 13-try demolition of Montpellier, Leinster had not played for five weeks due to Covid-19-related disruption, and if the head coach Stuart Lancaster wished to see his defence properly tested, he got his wish in the first 10 minutes. Bath tore into the contest and Jacques du Toit’s powerful run from close range, after Bath had won a penalty from the kick-off, asked an early question. But the visitors held firm and once Leinster repelled an initial spell of pressure it was one-way traffic.

Leinster appeared to have taken the lead when O’Brien dotted down following Sexton’s polished grubber kick. But after a lengthy TMO review, Jordan Larmour was