Leinster progress to European Champions Cup final with 38-16 win over Scarlets

Leinster 38 - 16 Scarlets, Lansdowne Road

A clinical performance from Leinster saw them progress to the final of the European Rugby Champions Cup with a 38-16 triumph over Scarlets at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

They will now face Racing 92 in the final scheduled to be played at San Mamés Stadium on 12th May.

It took Leigh Halfpenny just six minutes to get the first points on the board as he kicked a penalty goal to get Scarlets off the mark.

After an attacking push from Leinster that saw Fergus McFadden making steady progress but the break eventually came from lock James Ryan, who scored the opening try in the 10th minute and Johnny Sexton improved it.

Sexton and Halfpenny traded penalty kicks but the second try in the game came in the 27th minute when prop Cian Healy dived at close range. The Ireland playmaker was once again spot on with the conversion as Leinster claimed a 17-6 lead.

Halfpenny with his third penalty kick kept Scarlets in the game but Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose played pivotal roles in setting up the third try for Leinster that saw McFadden touchdown in the 39th minute and Sexton's conversion ensured the Irish regional side headed into the break with a 24-9 lead.

Sexton was brilliant for Leinster in the second half with a series of well-aimed high kicks and one of them set up their fourth try that saw Scott Fardy going over the line in the 50th minute and 10 minutes later the fly-half himself crashed past the line that pretty much sealed the game for the home side, who took the scoreline to 38-9.

Tadhg Beirne scored a consolation try in the closing stage but the damage was already done as Leinster completed a 38-16 win.