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Rampaging Academy lock Ryan Baird helped himself to a memorable hat-trick in Leinster\u2019s 55-19 Guinness PRO14 bonus point win over Glasgow at the RDS.<\/p>\nRampaging Academy lock Ryan Baird helped himself to a memorable hat-trick in Leinster\u2019s 55-19 Guinness PRO14 bonus point win over Glasgow at the RDS.<\/p>\n
It took just three-and-a-half minutes for 20-year-old man-of-the-match Baird to crash over, the hosts\u2019 thunderous attack producing further scores for Dave Kearney, James Lowe and captain Scott Fardy to create a 24-7 half-time lead.<\/p>\n
Kyle Steyn deftly doubled Glasgow\u2019s try tally, adding to Tommy Seymour\u2019s slick 25th-minute effort, but Lowe completed his brace before Baird brilliantly accelerated away in the 55th minute and then went over again past the hour.<\/p>\n
Kearney finished with a hat-trick of his own, cancelling out an Alex Allan score, on a night that Leinster moved 20 points clear at the top of Conference A. They have also set a new 15-match record for consecutive victories in the Championship, eclipsing Munster\u2019s 14 from 2011.<\/p>\n
The hosts got over from their very first attack, a scrum penalty allowing them to carry with great intent before Baird expertly burrowed over from a couple of meters out. The heavily-influential Harry Byrne converted to the right of the posts.<\/p>\n
Leinster tidied up lineout ball after an overcooked Pete Horne kick, and another powerful carrying spell forced Warriors backwards. Armed with a penalty advantage, Byrne\u2019s long pass put Kearney over in the corner to make it 12-0 after as many minutes.<\/p>\n
Handling errors thwarted Glasgow\u2019s progress but a couple of clever kicks from Seymour and Horne got them moving. It was former Scotland winger Seymour who cut a great angle off George Horne\u2019s inside pass to glide in behind the posts. The latter\u2019s brother converted to put five points between them.<\/p>\n
A Baird knock-on denied Leinster as they built for a swift response, but his second row partner Fardy soon outfoxed two defenders with a scooped offload to send Lowe raiding over for a seven-pointer.<\/p>\n
Luke McGrath\u2019s initial break sparked a furious late hunt for the bonus point, Fardy duly delivering it off a close-in ruck.<\/p>\n
However, the Warriors had an encouraging start to the second half. Skipper Ryan Wilson was involved as quick hands released Steyn for a superb in-and-out finish from his own 10-meter line.<\/p>\n
Leinster cancelled out that score in the 51st minute, Will Connors\u2019 turnover and another burst by Baird leading to some smart handling across the back-line. Lowe, fed on halfway, managed to spin out of Huw Jones\u2019 attempted tackle to finish off his seventh try of the season.<\/p>\n
It got even better for the Irish province when Baird stormed over from 45 meters out, stunning scrum-half Horne and the chasing wingers with his pace. The St Michael\u2019s College product picked from a ruck to add a much more straightforward third try with 63 minutes on the clock.<\/p>\n
Niko Matawalu\u2019s break and an excellent offload by Jamie Dobie put fellow replacement Allan in under the Leinster posts in the 70th minute.<\/p>\n
Yet, Leo Cullen\u2019s side pushed through the 50-point barrier, Fardy starring in the build-up to Kearney\u2019s second of the night before Jones\u2019 loose offload gave the Ireland winger his third.<\/p>\n