Leinster back to winning ways against Scarlets

United Rugby Championship

Leinster (12) 36

Tries: Ringrose, Kenny 2, T O'Brien 2, Deegan Cons: Byrne 3

Scarlets (7) 19

Tries: J Roberts, Rogers, Douglas Cons: Hawkins 2

Leinster got back on track in the United Rugby Championship (URC) by beating a spirited Scarlets in Dublin.

After losses to Cardiff and Glasgow, the reigning champions avoided a third defeat on the spin by running in six tries at Aviva Stadium.

Leinster fought back from Joe Roberts' opener to lead 12-7 at the break thanks to tries by Garry Ringrose and Joshua Kenny.

Tommy O'Brien's quickfire double earned the four-try bonus after 45 minutes and further scores came from Max Deegan and Kenny.

Scarlets ensured Leinster did not have things all their own way and were agonisingly close to a deserved consolation bonus after tries by Tom Rogers and Max Douglas.

Leinster climb to third in the table before Ulster's Saturday trip to bottom club Zebre while Scarlets remain 14th, a point and place above Dragons.

Leo Cullen's side were not at their best in a stop-start fixture but go into their home tie against Edinburgh in the last 16 of the Champions Cup on a winning note.

The visitors deservedly opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Joe Roberts latched onto midfield partner Johnny Williams' grubber kick.

Lock Brian Deeny was yellow-carded for a line-out offence in the build-up but Scarlets were then reduced to 13 when Roberts and flanker Jarrod Taylor were sin-binned.

Leinster, back to 15, were clinical in the 22 to level thanks to centre Ringrose and then hit the front against 14 men through wing Kenny.

Wing O'Brien scored a double soon after the restart when put over down the left by Jamison Gibson-Park and then finishing on the other side after a stolen line-out.

Scarlets, with strong-running number eight Fletcher Anderson excellent again, were rewarded for a bout of pressure when Rogers went over down the right from Blair Murray's fizzed pass.

Blind-side Deegan was adjudged to have gone over from close range after a TMO review before Scarlets lock Douglas finished off after Archie Hughes' snipe.

Kenny got his second with an acrobatic finish and then man of the match O'Brien denied Scarlets a bonus with a covering tackle on centre Williams.

Leinster: Jimmy O'Brien; Tommy O'Brien, Ringrose, Osborne, Kenny; Byrne, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Furlong, Joe McCarthy, Deeny, Deegan, van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Cahir, Slimani, O'Tighearnaigh, Soroka, Gunne, Prendergast, Henshaw.

Yellow card: Deeny 16.

Scarlets: Murray; Rogers, J Roberts, Williams, Mee; Hawkins, Blacker; Mathias, Harry Thomas, Henry Thomas, Lousi, Douglas, Taylor, Davis, Anderson (capt).

Replacements: G Roberts, S O'Connor, H O'Connor, Ball, T Davies, A Hughes, I Jones, Page.

Yellow card: J Roberts 22, Taylor 27.

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa)

Assistants: Peter Martin & Chris Lough (Ireland)

TMO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)