DECLAN KIDNEY says the target on London Irish’s back is growing every week as the Exiles moved nine points clear at the top of the Championship table.
With defeat for second-placed Ealing, Irish took full advantage with a bonus-point 47-12 victory over Richmond to extend their cushion to the chasing pack.
Kidney’s men had to work for their win, only leading 12-5 at half-time thanks to Dave Porecki and Ben Meehan tries.
But the hosts stormed clear after the restart with Meehan crossing the whitewash in the first play of the half before Porecki also crossed again to clinch the bonus point.
Two further scores from Saia Fainga’a and a late Josh McNally try added gloss to the result, eventually winning by 35 points.
“I think the nine points (lead) is a bit of a false picture,” said director of rugby Kidney.
“There will be a lot of games against teams at the top of the league so people can refer to ‘eight-point matches’ and one result can swing things around very quickly.
“We knew coming into the season that we had a target on our back and we’ve probably increased that now with where we are and each team will strive to have a go at us.
“The challenge for us is to rise to that challenge.”
Competing at Madejski Stadium for the first time in over a month, Irish, who handed a debut to Alivereti Veitokani, got off to a sluggish start.
The deadlock was broken on 15 minutes when Porecki hung back at a rolling maul before eventually bundling over.
However, Jono Woodward quickly levelled up, bursting away down the wing to dot down.
Back came the Exiles, getting their noses in front as scrum-half Meehan sniped over just past the half-hour mark with Stephen Myler knocking over the easy conversion.
With the words of Kidney still ringing in their ears, the home side shot out of the traps to move 19-5 ahead in the opening minute of the second half as Meehan sprinted through to score under the posts.
Another rolling maul then proved decisive to seal the fourth try with Porecki again doing the honours.
A yellow card for Teofilo Paulo for a swinging arm gave Richmond some hope, but instead Irish scored again with Fainga’a profiting from a powerful drive.
Just as Paulo had returned and Albert Tuisue was introduced for his debut, Ofisa Treviranus was then sent to the sin bin for slowing down play and this time Richmond did take advantage to score through Luc Jones.
However, captain McNally forced the ball against the base of the post at the other end to quash any hopes of a comeback before Fainga’a added his second try in the dying moments.
“Our first-half performance wasn’t up to scratch,” said man-of-the-match Tom Stephenson.
“We had a weekend off last week so we knew we had to come out strong and we didn’t do ourselves justice in the first half.
“But in the second half our pack stepped up and put in a good shift and got the bonus point win.”
Irish have a short turnaround, travelling to mid-table Nottingham on Friday night (7.45pm).
IRISH: Veitokani, Loader (Hepetema 58), Macken (McKibbin 67), Stephenson, McLean, Myler, Meehan, Hobbs-Awoyemi (Hoskins 56), Porecki (Fainga’a 56), Cilliers (Elrington 64), van der Merwe, Paulo, McNally (c), Gilsenan (Tuisue 65), Schatz (Treviranus 65).
Tries: Porecki x2 (15,53), Meehan x2 (31,41), Fainga’a x2 (61,79), McNally (73)
Cons: Myler x6 (32,42,54,62,74,80)
Yellow cards: Paulo (55), Treviranus (66)
RICHMOND: Kirby, Woodward (Gibbs), Cheeseman, McLean-Dents (Dennett), Webber, Damant, Jones, Goodrick-Clarke (Cunnew), Grimstone (Freestone), Trenier (Spelman), Warden (Lenygon), Davies, Parker, Liston, Milne (Boyce).
Tries: Woodward (22), Jones (68)
Con: Damant (69)
Yellow card: Milne (28)
Referee: Neil Chivers
Attendance: 3,002
