James impresses on European debut but Saints lose at Leinster

Scrum-half Tom James impressed on his European debut for the black, green and gold, scoring and also setting up Fraser Dingwall.

Nick Isiekwe added another try after half-time, but Leinster bagged five of their own to earn their fifth successive Champions Cup win against Saints.

Chris Boyd's men delivered a spirited display in blustery Dublin conditions, but they were undone by some moments of slumber in defence, especially at the start of each half.

They also struggled with attacking lineouts, letting Leinster off the hook as the theme of recent times continued.

But Saints, who return to Premiership action on Boxing Day, kept battling and there were positives to take, despite the fact they suffered a 12th successive defeat in all competitions.

Boyd's boys had gone into the game with a much-changed team showing eight alterations from the side that were edged out by Bordeaux eight days earlier.

And it was the start Saints had dreaded as Leinster lined up a play from a scrum in the middle of the field and put together an easy move on the left to send flanker Josh Murphy over.

Ross Byrne, a late replacement for Harry Byrne before kick-off, slotted the conversion to make it 7-0 after just three and a half minutes.

Dingwall announced himself to Byrne with a big hit to stop Leinster in their tracks soon after and Saints were trying to step up their linespeed in defence.

Leinster were hit by a couple of head injuries, with Garry Ringrose and Jimmy O'Brien forced from the field to have HIAs.

But the home side were not affected as they kept coming and after Saints gave away a free-kick at a scrum five metres from their own line, Cian Healy was able to power over.

Byrne's conversion made it 14-0 and Saints then squandered a chance in opposition territory, kicking to the corner before losing the lineout in the Leinster 22.

But Saints earned a scrum in a dangerous area soon after, using it to piece together a nice play that finished with Dingwall diving in under the posts after running a tidy line to meet a good pass from James.

Rory Hutchinson easily converted to cut the gap to seven points, but after Alex Waller was penalised for a tackle off the ball, Byrne landed a penalty to take it to 10.

Taqele Naiyaravoro missed a big chance when he knocked on from a Sam Matavesi pass, but Saints were on top and they soon scored their second.

James used the scrum as a platform and darted between two Leinster players before finishing with real desire.

Hutchinson converted and Saints were just three points down with five minutes of the first half to play.

But Leinster were to have the final say in the first 40, striking on the stroke of half-time as Ryan Olowofela failed to gather a long Leinster pass out wide and Dave Kearney picked up the pieces to dive over.

Byrne missed the kick but his side had their breathing space back with a 22-14 lead.

And Leinster rubbed salt in the wounds just two minutes into the second half, bagging their bonus point as Jamison Gibson-Park ran in unopposed after his side laid the foundations from a scrum.

But Gibson-Park went from hero to villain almost immediately as he saw his box kick charged down by Isiekwe, who gathered the ball and scored.

Hutchinson missed the conversion in tricky conditions and there was plenty of huff and puff before Olowofela intervened, covering a grubber kick to stop Leinster scoring their fifth.

Leinster extended their lead with a breakdown penalty, leaving Saints 16 points behind with nine minutes remaining.

And that was how it stayed as Saints stuck at it until the end, turning over some late Leinster possession to preserve their pride.

Leinster: O'Brien (C Kelleher 12); Keenan, Ringrose (Frawley 14), Henshaw, D Kearney; R Byrne, Gibson-Park (McGrath 57); Healy (Dooley 57), Kelleher (Tracy 57), Porter (Bent 57); Baird, Ryan; Murphy (Molony 67), van der Flier, Ruddock (c) (Leavy 60).

Saints: Collins (Proctor 58); Olowofela (Francis 58), Dingwall, Hutchinson, Naiyaravoro; Furbank, James; Waller (c) (van Wyk 47), Matavesi (Haywood 51), Hill (Franks 58); Moon, Ratuniyarawa (Harrison 62); Isiekwe (Coles 65), Wood, Adendorff.

Referee: Pierre Brousset