Leinster beat Scarlets to book Glasgow last-four tie

United Rugby Championship quarter-final

Leinster (15) 33

Tries: Lowe, Gibson-Park, Osborne, Keenan Pens: Prendergast 3 Con: Prendergast 2

Scarlets (14) 21

Tries Rogers, Murray, Williams Cons: Costelow 3

Leinster group up a United Rugby Championship semi-final against holders Glasgow pinch triumph complete Scarlets astatine Aviva Stadium.

The Irish province, who vanished nan regular play apical of nan table, opened up an early lead acknowledgment to James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park tries.

However, eighth seeds Scarlets deed backmost done Tom Rogers and Blair Murray earlier half-time to support live hopes of a daze triumph successful beforehand of a crowd of 12,879.

Jamie Osborne and Hugo Keenan stretched Leinster's lead successful nan 2nd half earlier Johnny Williams' effort breathed caller life into Scarlets' challenge.

But while nan location broadside were acold from their best, they were allowed to easiness their measurement done nan closing stages aft Vaea Fifita's yellowish paper for a precocious tackle connected Keenan took nan upwind retired of nan Scarlets' sails.

While Scarlets' play comes to an end, they tin look guardant to a return to nan Investec Champions Cup adjacent term.

Leinster, meanwhile, will look Glasgow - who they person beaten doubly this play - astatine location adjacent play for a spot successful nan last connected 14 June arsenic they pursuit a first trophy since 2021.

There will, however, beryllium concerns complete British and Irish Lions flanker Josh van der Flier, who was forced disconnected successful nan first half pinch a hamstring issue.

Coming into nan game, Leinster had capable ammunition to defender against complacency, having fallen to nan Scarlets successful nan URC past period earlier their European dreams were shattered by Northampton connected this ground.

However, contempt racing into a 12-0 lead wrong nan opening 10 minutes, nan patient favourites still made reliable activity of nan first half.

British and Irish Lions squad members Lowe and Gibson-Park some crossed early to put nan hosts successful cruise control, but Scarlets - successful their first play-off crippled since 2018 - were undeterred and deed backmost to trim nan arrears to a constituent earlier nan break.

First, Rogers vanished disconnected a good move successful Scarlets' first sojourn to nan Leinster 22 earlier a chaotic series to nan opening half ended successful Murray bringing nan visitors backmost to wrong striking distance.

In nan past play earlier nan interval, Leinster pushed for 3rd try. But aft Sam Prendergast spilled a walk successful beforehand of nan Scarlets posts, Ellis Mee collapsed clear and Murray hit Jordie Barrett successful a footrace to dot down, pinch nan effort opinionated aft a tv lucifer charismatic cheque connected nan full-back's grounding.

With momentum connected nan broadside of a spirited Scarlets, Leinster roseate to nan situation and responded strongly.

Five minutes aft nan restart, Prendergast atoned for his portion successful Murray's people to nonstop Osborne done pinch a well-judged spot for different effort which stood aft a TMO cheque for grounding.

Having stretched their lead, Leinster showcased their awesome squad extent by introducing Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan and South Africa's two-time World Cup victor RG Snyman.

And aft Scarlets prop Alec Hepburn was sin-binned for playing nan shot connected nan crushed astatine a ruck, it was Sheehan who charged down a footwear and gave Barrett nan opportunity to nonstop Keenan done for Leinster's 4th try.

With Scarlets leader Dwayne Peel having replaced fly-half Sam Costelow pinch Ioan Lloyd, Williams concisely revived Scarlets' dream of toppling nan hosts erstwhile he brought nan visitors backmost to wrong 9 points.

However, aft Fifita was sent to nan bin, nan crippled petered out, allowing Leinster to wrap up nan triumph and group up a rematch pinch Glasgow.

Leinster skipper Jack Conan: "[We were] bully successful parts. Our subject killed us, we gave them a batch of soft penalties. To beryllium adjacent to Scarlets they stuck astatine it and battled hard, they're a squad pinch a batch of passion and they pushed america astatine times.

"We were inaccurate and forced things a small bit. It's bully to person different week but location were immoderate frustrating bits there.

"Lads want to person large moments They want to consciousness for illustration they're doing well, but sometimes there's a spot of over-eagerness and over-zealousness.

"You unit things a small spot and get distant pinch things though I thought Hollie [Davidson] was connected nan money today. I don't deliberation it's thing different than lads trying a spot excessively hard."

Scarlets skipper Josh Macleod: "At half-time location was plentifulness of belief, but I'm highly proud of nan bunch. They're a apical group of guys but coming we conscionable came up short.

"I deliberation we were nan only group successful nan UK pinch immoderate benignant of belief going into today. The media thought it would beryllium a runaway triumph for them. We didn't and hopefully for ample parts of nan crippled we showed that."

Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Ronan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt).

Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Ciaran Frawley.

Scarlets: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Archie Hughes; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas, Alex Craig, Sam Lousi, Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree.

Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Jarrod Taylor, Efan Jones, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page.

Sin-bin: Hepburn '55, Fifita '72

Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU)

Assistant referees: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR), Federico Vedovelli (FIR)

TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)