Sloppy Leinster come from behind to defeat Sale Sharks

Leinster have gained firm control of Pool 4 in the Investec Champions Cup, but Leo Cullen's side had to endure a sluggish first half before eventually running out 37-27 winners against Sale Sharks at the RDS.

The four-time champions scored five tries and picked up a bonus-point in the 10-point win, but they were made to fight for their scores by the Premiership side, who held a surprise 13-3 lead at one stage in the opening half.

Sale had come to Dublin with their mind firmly on next week's Premiership meeting with Saracens, making 11 changes from last week’s win against Stade Francais.

The hosts had gone off as 24-point favourites for this sold-out game at the RDS, but many of us thought we could be left eating our words when a beautifully-worked try from Sharks centre Connor Doherty put his side ahead by 10 after just 24 minutes.

While it took Leinster until the 44th minute to take the lead, courtesy of Jamison Gibson-Park's try, they’d largely been in control, let down by a litany of careless errors.

Leinster 30-13 Sale
And there is the bonus point for Leinster.
Hugo Keenan is inches short but Ryan Baird is in the right place to pick and stick the ball down.