Benetton Treviso claimed a moral boosting last-minute 27-27 draw against Leinster at the RDS on Saturday night.
It’s all over at the RDS Arena and it was a fantastically balanced contest ⚖️
Both @leinsterrugby and @BenettonRugby refused to take a backward step and it went right to the wire ???
A deserved draw ?#GUINNESSPRO14 #LEIvBEN pic.twitter.com/Knfod4g8J4— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) April 6, 2024
The Italian side have shown massive signs of improvement this season and this result only proved that more as they took points away from Dublin for the second year in a row. Following a 17-15 win against the blues last season.
Benetton got off to the perfect start with Luca Bigi touching down after 12 minutes, Tommaso Allan converted, and the visitors were 7-0 up.
Leinster responded well with Noel Reid kicking a penalty three minutes later to make it 7-3. However, within three minutes of that kick Allan slotted home three points of his own to give his side a seven-point lead once more.
Noel Reid went off injured, but replacement Ciaran Frawley took up where he left off, knocking over a penalty to reduce the deficit on 25 minutes.
Another penalty from the boot of Allan just before the 40-minute mark left it at 13-6 to Benetton at half-time.
Half-time at the RDS Arena ?
?? @BenettonRugby have come to play, bringing the fight to @leinsterrugby with some physical phase-play ?
Can the Italians continue this good form and work toward the knockout stage? ?♂️#GUINNESSPRO14 #LEIvBEN pic.twitter.com/Q2MRaElq29— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) April 6, 2024
Leinster needed a big response and drew first blood in the second-half as James Lowe barrelled his way over the line after some great work from captain Luke McGrath and man of the match Max Deegan.
Frawley sent the extras between the posts and it was all level.
Tremendous work-rate and typically abrasive at the breakdown from @MaxDeegan ? who churned through a shed load of work for @leinsterrugby ?
Here he receives his man of the match medal from Martina Flood#GUINNESSPRO14 #LEIvBEN pic.twitter.com/U9qbK39RtB— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) April 6, 2024
The Italian outfit were out in front again on 53 minutes when Federico Ruzza scored from close range and Allan was perfect from the tee once more to leave it at 20-13.
Roll on 10 minutes and the men in blue were level as Bryan Byrne found the whitewash and Frawley converted.
Leinster took the lead for the first time in the 70th minute through Frawley, after he was put through a gap by a lovely Conor O’Brien pass. Frawley converted his own try to push the home side 27-20 ahead.
However, Benetton had the final say as winger Iliesa Ratuva punished a couple of missed tackles to run in for a try with the clock in red. Allan held his nerve to convert and it finished all square at 27-27.
After the game Leinster head coach Leo Cullen applauded his side’s effort in the second-half as they lost both Reid and Mick Kearney to injury in the opening 40.
“In the second-half I though the effort from our guys was really good. I thought you could see how much it meant to them and it was a big chance for a lot of guys,” he said.
The result means Leinster have failed to win their last two Pro14 matches but they have managed to give a lot of younger players a chance to play since claiming first place in Conference B. The draw leaves Benetton only two points off second-placed Ulster in the conference and in with a real shout of reaching the play-offs for the first time.
Match Highlights:
