Match Centre: Investec Champions Cup: Leinster 36-22 Leicester Tigers
Jack Conan was one of the try scorer for Leinster
©PA
Leinster 36-22 Leicester Tigers, Aviva Stadium
Jamison Gibson-Park scored a hat-trick as Leinster defeated Leicester Tigers with a 36-22 margin to reach the quarter-finals of the Investec Champions Cup.
The victory at Aviva Stadium means Leinster will now face defending champions La Rochelle in the quarter-final next weekend which will be a repeat of the last two seasons finals.
Leicester made a brisk start to the game as James Cronin, Jasper Wiese and Solomone Kata combined to send Handre Pollard over the line in the 4th minute and the South African also followed with the conversion to make it 0-7.
The remainder of the opening half was dominated by the Irish province as Dan Sheenan's pass was collected by Joe McCarthy, who in turn sent Gibson-Park over the line in the 12th minute. Ross Byrne kicked a conversion and a penalty goal on either side as they stretched their lead to 10-7.
The home side further stretched their lead as McCarthy created a gap for Dan Sheenan, who helped Gibson-Park complete his second try in the 23rd minute before Pollard's three-pointer in the 28th minute made it 15-10.
Gibson-Park continued to impress as Jamie Osborne sent an inside pass for the Ireland international as he completed his hat-trick and this time Byrne kicked the conversion as Leinster completed the opening with a 22-10 lead.
Leinster suffered an early setback in the second half with James Lowe sin-binned following which James Cronin and Robbie Henshaw exchanged tries as the home side raced to a 29-15 lead by the 50th minute.
Jack Conan provided more comfort to Leinster as he went over in the 71st minute after good work from Harry Byrne and Rónan Kelleher which proved enough despite Charlie Clare's late try as Leinster completed a 36-22 victory.
Team line up:
Leinster: Keenan; Larmour, Henshaw, Osborne, Lowe; R Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Molony, McCarthy, Baird, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).
Reserves: Kelleher, Healy, Ala'alatoa, Jenkins, Conan, Murphy, H Byrne, Frawley.
Leicester Tigers: Shillcock; Steward, Kelly, Kata, Hassell-Collins; Pollard, Van Poortvliet; Cronin, Montoya (capt), Cole, Wells, Hatherell, Liebenberg, Cracknell, Wiese.
Reserves: Clare, Van Wyk, Hurd, Carnduff, Ilione, Whiteley, Cokanasiga, Brown.
