Next Treviso 19-17 Newport Gwent Dragons Treviso went two for two on Friday evening, winning their second game of the season against Dragons, who will see this as a missed opportunity to begin a climb up the table. Treviso looked bright from the kick off, getting the weekend’s first try on the board just two minutes in. Winger Angelo Esposito darted over to give the home side the lead. Jayden Hayward converted to take the full seven points. Dragons responded quickly with a try at the nine minute mark. Hallam Amos raced over the line before Angus O’Brien leveled the game with his conversion. Neither side could gain an advantage until the 35th minute when Dragons were awarded a penalty inside kicking range which O’Brien to converted. Dragons looked to go to the break in the lead but their hopes were dashed by Filo Paulo. The Samoan lock crossed the Dragon’s line at the stroke of the 40th minutes to retake Treviso’s lead. Treviso came from their dressing room with a point to prove in the second half, beginning with a try in the 45th minute. Winger Ludovica Nitoglia dotted down to put Treviso nine points clear. Dragons brought the game back to within one score in the 60th minute. Cory Hill barged over the line for a second Dragons try. O’Brien’s conversion meant Dragons now trailed by only two points. Hayward missed the chance to put Treviso at a comfortable lead. Two missed kicks at goal in the final ten minutes left the game within the Dragons’ grasp. In the dying moments of the game the Dragons attempted a last gasp attempt at goal to take the win with a drop goal from O’Brien, but the young outhalf sent it wide. Neither teams move on the competition table as Dragons remain in tenth place and Treviso stay put at the bottom.

Previous Next Ospreys 27-13 Edinburgh Ospreys took a decisive victory over Edinburgh on Friday night, Edinburgh only kept in the game throughout the first half by Greig Tonks. Tonks took the lead for Edinburgh 11 minutes in after repeated Ospreys infringements. Sam Davies returned the game to level two minutes later after Edinburgh were penalised for holding on in the ruck. Tonks had another two kicks at goal before the 20th minute. The first came off the post while the second gave the away side three points. With 25 minutes played, Davies levelled the game once again after another offence in the ruck from Edinburgh. Edinburgh regained their lead in just under a minute as Tonks broke through the Osprey’s defence before passing to Allan Dell who touched down beneath the posts. Not letting the game get away from them, Ospreys scored a try of their own five minutes before the break. An offload from Ben John found Sam Underhill who swooped in for the try. Ospreys seemed to find a higher gear at the break, leaving Edinburgh in the dust. The home side forced a penalty in the 45th minute which Davies made easy work of to retake the lead. Davies furthered that lead in the 62nd minute after Edinburgh penalised again at the ruck, this time for slowing the ball. Davies furthered his points tally to 17 entering the final ten minutes with another kick at goal, putting Ospreys in a two score lead. After a dominating second half and a long build up Ospreys finally got over the line for a long-awaited try in the hands of Scott Otten in the closing minutes of the game. Ospreys move up a place on the table to sixth, tied for points with Edinburgh, who remain in fifth due to points difference.

Previous Next Glasgow Warriors 27-24 Munster Glasgow clinched a win away from Munster in the closing minutes after another tight game between the two teams this season. Glasgow took the offensive from the kickoff, driving downfield. After a number of phases in front of the line, Sila Puafasi burrowed his way through the Munster defence to draw first blood for Glasgow, only four minutes in. Puafasi gave a repeat performance just two minutes later, burrowing through in a similar fashion. Duncan Weir converted again to give the Warriors a 14 point lead. After a terrible start, Munster started to hit back. With 11 minutes played Dave Kilcoyne got points on the board for Munster, crossing the line from a 3-metre pick-and-go. Keatley converted to bring the game back to a seven-point difference. Ian Keatley brought Munster a little closer with a kick at goal in the 17th minute after Glasgow were pulled for hands on the floor. Munster went ahead for the first time after 23 minutes. Kilcoyne matched Puafusi’s try count after worming his way over the line for his second of the night. The intensity of the first quarter seemed to take a toll on both sides as the play stagnated until the second half. Glasgow started the second half in much the same way as the first. A brilliant bit of play from the backs saw Weir score in the corner in the 43rd minute. Munster suffered a blow in the 55th minute as they were forced to play without a scrumhalf for ten minutes after Tomas O’Leary was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on. With 62 minutes played, Munster were pulled for hands in the ruck, giving Weir the chance to take a five point lead for Glasgow. Munster immediately closed the gap as Mike Sherry barged over the line from the back of a maul for a fifth front row try. Keatley’s conversion put Munster back in front by a narrow margin. Sensing time running out, Glasgow increased pressure on the Munster line, eventually resulting in a try from Glenn Bryce who made good use of an overlap to seal the game for Glasgow. The Warriors remain in eighth place but sit with two games in hand while Munster drop back into seventh place after losing two games in a row.

Previous Next Cardiff Blues 13-14 Leinster Leinster emerged one-point victors in a match dominated by the wind and rain, a runaway try sealing the match for the Irish side. Cardiff opened the scoring in the fourth minute after Leinster were caught offside. Gareth Anscombe lined up the kick just outside the 22′ and converted despite heavy resistance from the weather. Leinster forced a penalty three minutes later for Ian Madigan to level the score. Madigan missed a chance to take the lead for Leinster after Cardiff were pulled for an offside, the ball striking the crossbar. Leinster suffered a set-back as Fergus McFadden was shown a yellow card. The referee deemed McFadden to have not used his arms in a tackle. However, Anscombe missed the resulting kick at goal. Leinster went on several ventures deep into the home sides half but weren’t clinical enough to find a score. They didn’t finish the half entirely empty handed, Madigan kicking one final goal before going to the break, giving Leinster a 3 point lead. Anscombe got the point scoring in the second half underway from a penalty after Mick Kearney infringed in the ruck. Leinster retook the lead in the 50th minute as Madigan split the posts once again, this time, a penalty from a collapsed scrum. The game’s first try came in the 58th minute. A break from man-of-the-match, Jack Conan drew in Dan Fish, creating space for Isa Nacewa, who dived over the line in the corner. Leinster lost another man to the sin bin with only eight minutes remaining. Jordi Murphy skirted the ruck to collect the ball at the base of a Cardiff ruck, which the referee deemed to be side entry. Cardiff capitalised on the extra man. Manoa Vosawai brought the ball to within inches of the Leinster line and a quick pick-and-go from Josh Navidi brought it the rest of the way. Rhys Patchell’s conversion brought Cardiff to within a point with three minutes left on the clock. Cardiff stole the ball only 5 metres out and began to try to work a drop goal which Leinster blocked down. Cardiff managed to keep a hold a ball until three minutes after the 80-minute mark when it was knocked on, relieving Leinster. Cardiff remain in ninth place while Leinster move up to second, only two points from the top with a game in hand.

Previous Next Zebre 34-51 Connacht Connacht took the top of the table on Saturday evening with a bonus point win over Zebre. Zebre held on until the break, where they trailed by only four points. Connacht increased their intensity and speed in the second half to play with an air of Southern Hemisphere rugby. Craig Ronaldson drew first blood for Connacht with a kick at goal just four minutes in, with an easy kick just inside the Zebre 22′. Zebre had their chance to level things in the 13th minute, Kelly Haimona was not making any mistakes. Connacht’s first try came after 17 minutes of play. A superb counter ruck turned the ball over before it was spread wide to Matt Healy, who beat two wingers to go over from 50 metres out. Haimona narrowed Connacht’s lead in the 20th minute with another penalty from 30 metres out. Connacht’s second try came two minutes later. Kieran Marmion caught the Zebre defence asleep, taking a quick penalty from 5 metres out. Despite a try saving tackle from Niyi Adeolokun, Zebre managed to get over the line on their second attempt from the resulting lineout. Zebre turned over the lineout for Johan Meyer to touch down underneath the posts and the game went to halftime with only a four point difference. Matt Healy secured his second try of the evening four minutes into the second half. The winger scythed through the middle Zebre defence and crossed the try-line untouched. A great run from Haimona saw Zebre take back seven points just two minutes later, running in a great individual try. A third try in just six minutes of play was scored by Connacht, Healy making it a hat-trick for the winger. A brilliant grubber kick through the Zebre line saw Healy in for the bonus point. Zebre weren’t letting Connacht off easy. A counter play by Connacht got them as far as the Zebre 22′ but an interception from Dries Van Schalkwyk and pitch-length run added another seven points for Zebre, 55 minutes in. Connacht reestablished their 11 point lead in the 60th minute. A textbook try from Connacht as the ball went through the hands to reach Adeolokun, who went over in the corner. Connacht extended their lead after a chop tackle in the 65th minute from Zebre, AJ MacGinty now on kicking duty. A minute later Adeolokun crossed the line a second time after receiving an offload from Bundee Aki. Zebre managed to swoop in for one final try with 10 minute remaining. Frederico Ruzza picked a good line off the scrumhalf to see himself in for a try. One last kick at goal from MacGinty finalised the score and saw the game out. Connacht rise to two points clear at the top of the table while Zebre stay second from the bottom.