Leinster will go into the international break top of the United Rugby Championship after beating the Lions 24-6 at the Aviva Stadium for their sixth win from six games played this season.
Leo Cullen’s men did, however, drop their first point of the campaign having failed to collect a four-try bonus for the first time in 2024-25.
All six points for the South African visitors, who came into this round second in the table, came from the boot of Kade Wolhunter.
Less than two weeks from Ireland meeting New Zealand at the same ground, Leinster were able to call on a healthy number of their Test contingent for the top of the table meeting.
It was one of those Irish internationals who scored the only try of the first-half, Josh van Der Flier wriggling his way across the whitewash after Caelan Doris had been stopped short just prior.
Before that try in the 32nd minute, the only scoring of the first half had come through penalties, one for Leinster’s Sam Prendergast and a pair from the Lions’ Wolhunter.
The second half proved to be a similarly tight affair as conditions worsened.
While James Lowe was just unable to ground Prendergast’s grubber kick beyond the try line, it took until almost the hour mark for the first points after the turn.
With Doris having made the carry that preceded Van der Flier’s score in the first half, this time it was the openside flanker swivelling to pass to his number eight to set up the try for the new Irish captain.
As the Lions’ charge faded despite a battling performance, Leinster had already made the victory safe by the time, with the last play of the game, they were awarded a penalty try when their maul was illegally stopped when driving over the line.
