GUINNESS PRO12: Leinster let off hook by Munster to go top of the table

Johnny Sexton scored all of Leinster’s points as they went top of the Pro12 with a 16-13 derby win over Munster at the Aviva Stadium.

A week on from losing to Connacht, Leo Cullen’s men joined the westerners at the summit, and the Irish pair hold home advantage in the play-off race with three rounds to go.

In front of a 43,108 attendance, Sexton’s timely touchdown just before half-time ended Leinster’s 260-minute try drought in the league, and left Munster trailing 10-6.

Young fly-half Johnny Holland, who started instead of Ian Keatley, had twice kicked the visitors in front before that, and he brilliantly converted his own 47th-minute try for a 13-10 turnaround.

But a couple of assured place-kicks from Sexton, with Keatley missing his only attempt of the night, had Leinster on the cusp of their first season’s double over Munster since 2012/13.

They had to survive a frenetic late assault on their try-line, though, with Cian Healy in the sin-bin. Mike Sherry went closest for the men in red but Jamie Heaslip and Ben Te’o typified a Leinster defence that would not yield.