Leinster 37 Gloucester 20: Leinster's old heads prevail against young pretenders

European Rugby has its critics but, on the evidence of this encounter, the cross-border competition is thriving. And while it could not settle rugby's recent Anglo-Irish debate (about which country is producing the superior teams), Leinster certainly made a telling point or two for the home cause.

It was a match forged in the furnace of the forwards, and finished on the anvil of the backs. There was nothing inferior about Leinster's pack, even when reduced to seven by Malcolm O'Kelly's yellow card. They made a nonsense of the pre-match talk that said the Gloucester eight would dominate. At times, it seemed, it was all the West Countrymen could do to contain the Irishmen.

As for the clash in midfield, experience won the day, but not without a few scares from Gloucester's callow youngsters. In the blue corner of Leinster, a veteran trio of Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Felipe Contepomi - in the red corner, Gloucester's three 20-year-olds, centres Anthony Allen and Jack Adams together with fly-half Ryan Lamb.

Dean Ryan, the Gloucester head coach, reckoned his threesome lacked maturity, but at least they were adventurous and prepared to try things. Of course, O'Driscoll and Co were equally prepared to have a go, the difference being the older heads knew when to make their move. And how to make each move count. Thus it was that Leinster not only emerged with victory, but also a bonus point. But the Gloucester boys, and in particular Allen, still did enough to catch the eye of O'Driscoll.

"Anthony Allen looks like a great player," said O'Driscoll. "He is a good, balanced runner, able to off-load and he ran some good lines. He was the pick of the three, the one to watch."

There was another player even younger than the Gloucester trio who caught the eye. Scrum-half Cillian Willis could be found amidst the greying heads of Leinster supplying some hard and fast ball for the deadly midfield.

He emerged with honour but given his pedigree (a first cousin of O'Driscoll on the distaff side) and preparation, scrapping with his older brothers and O'Driscoll in his formative years, it is little wonder that he earned the plaudits.

O'Driscoll himself said: "Coz did very well. His two brothers and I used to give him a bit of treatment when we were younger, so I know how tough he is. He has a rocket of a pass and he will get better and better."

Leinster: Tries D'Arcy, Contepomi, Keogh, Hogan; Conversions Contepomi 4; Penalties Contepomi 3. Gloucester: Tries Foster, Adams; Conversions Lamb 2; Penalties Lamb 2.

Leinster: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), G D'Arcy, D Hickie; F Contepomi, C Willis (A Dunne, 80); R McCormack, B Blaney (C Vermaas, 74), W Green (R Corrigan, 70-74), T Hogan (A Byrnes, 74), M O'Kelly, S Keogh (O Finegan, 75), K Gleeson, J Heaslip.

Gloucester: I Balshaw; J Bailey M Foster (L Mercier, 57), J Adams, A Allen, M Foster; R Lamb, P Richards (R Lawson, 53); C Califano (N Wood, 61), M Davies (O Azam, 70), C Nieto, M Bortolami (capt), A Eustace (J Pendlebury, 70), P Buxton, A Hazell (J Boer, 42), J Forrester.

Referee: C Berdos (replaced by E Gauzins, 74, both France).