Leinster edged the Leicester Tigers on Friday night to open round two of the Investec Champions Cup pool stage.
The four-time champions sputtered at Welford Road before pulling ahead to win 23-15.
The Irish province dominated territory from the start but made repeated handling errors in the face of a tigerish home defence.
Leinster’s carelessness with the ball also presented the home team with the only two tries of the first half.
Adam Radwan pounced on a Leinster drop after 20 minutes to hare away dribbling the ball before diving to touch down.
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The other Leicester winger, Ollie Hassell-Collins, also showed his footballing skills chasing his own kick ahead and pouncing when the Leinster defence could not gather the ball.
Harry Byrne kicked two first-half penalties for the visitors to one by Billy Searle for the hosts.
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Searle also missed a conversion and, with Leicester 15-6 ahead, then missed an early penalty in the second half.
Ireland scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park responded by scampering through some ineffective tackles to score. Byrne converted to close the gap to two points.
Leinster pressed and Byrne kicked a 60th-minute penalty to put them ahead by a point.
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With eight minutes left, Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan, a second-half replacement, crashed over after a lineout and Ireland flyhalf Sam Prendergast, who had come on in the 61st minute, converted to seal the win.
– AFP
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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