PRO 12
FRIDAY
LEINSTER 10-0
TREVISO
LEINSTER SEAL SPOT IN
CUP AFTER DRAB PERFORMANCE YESTERDAY
Leinster defeated Treviso to qualify for the European
Champions Cup despite a lacklustre Pro12 display at the RDS.
Jamie Heaslip's eighth-minute converted try was the only
score of a drab first half in the Dublin rain.
Treviso's Edoardo Gori was red-carded before a 77th-minute
penalty from Jimmy Gopperth sealed the win.
The out-half's clinching score came just moments after
referee Leighton Hodges sent-off Gori for a dangerous tackle on D'Arcy and a
subsequent incident at a ruck saw Sean O'Brien and Treviso's Francesco Minto
both sin-binned.
Despite the forgettable showing, this round 21 victory, coupled
with the Dragons' defeat of Edinburgh, means last year's league winners are
guaranteed a top-six finish and a 2015-16 Champions Cup berth.
OSPREYS 21-10
GLASGOW
JOHN AND WEBB GIVE
OSPREYS BIG WIN
Ospreys strengthened their claims for a home draw in the
Pro12 play-offs by taking over as leaders from Glasgow at a rain-soaked Liberty
Stadium.
Duncan Weir and Dan Evans exchanged penalties in a tight
first half.
But after the break, tries from Ben John and Rhys Webb, with
a a superb solo score, put Ospreys in control.
Glasgow hit back when a rolling maul from a line-out shoved
Chris Fusaro over, but a late Dan Biggar penalty kept Ospreys clear.
The Welsh side go top only on points difference from
Glasgow, with the winners of Ulster versus Munster at the Kingspan Stadium on
Saturday set to claim the lead outright.
Ospreys - having not beaten their visitors in the past seven
attempts - went at their visitors from the kick-off and Glasgow needed to dig
deep to keep them out, after Tyler Ardon had made an initial break into the 22.
The Scots worked their way upfield to claim first blood,
with Weir missing his first kick at goal after Ardron was penalised at a
line-out, but the fly-half made sure with his next chance.
Ospreys replied with a cutting backs move that sent Biggar
squirting through a gap and over the line.
But the Glasgow tacklers did well to hold up the ball, with
the Ospreys fly-half also needing to leave the field temporarily after taking a
knock.
In Biggar's absence it was left to Dan Evans to take over
the kicking duties and the full-back drew Ospreys level after a collapsed
scrum.
Biggar soon returned, but his temporary replacement Sam
Davies was quickly back on the field when wing Jeff Hassler broke down on his
comeback from a long-term knee injury.
Glasgow had also suffered an early casualty, with Leone
Nakarawa coming on for Tim Swinson at lock.
The Scots' best chance of a try was created by a neat chip
through from Stuart Hogg, but went to waste as Niko Matawalu was too heavy with
his boot as he hacked on.
Hogg nearly stole the lead when he took on a kick from three
metres inside his own half, only to see the ball go just wide, while Biggar was
similarly wide with a drop-goal on the stroke of half-time.
Biggar put Ospreys into the lead for the first time with a
penalty soon after the restart and then sparked the game's first try.
The fly-half showed great adventure in increasingly wet
conditions to launch a swift attack, with his team-mates taking on the move.
Front-rowers Dmitri Arhip - on for Aaron Jarvis - and Scott
Baldwin combined brilliantly to set Josh Matavesi free, who in turn released
John to go over on the right.
Biggar hit the post with the conversion from the difficult
angle, while Weir also found the woodwork minutes later with a much easier kick
- wasting a golden chance to bring Glasgow within a score.
That looked even more costly when Webb scored a brilliant
solo try for the home side, darting through a gap in a line-out and then
chipping over Matawalu for a try that was converted by Biggar for a 18-3 lead.
If Ospreys thought they had the game won they were made to
think again five minutes later when Chris Fusaro was shunted over the line by a
powerful Glasgow drive from a line-out, with Weir also converting.
With six minutes remaining Biggar added his second penalty
of the night to cap a hugely important victory for the Welsh.
DRAGONS 19-5
EDINBURGH
GUSAFSON TRY KEEPS
DRAGONS EURO HOPES ALIVE
Newport Gwent Dragons beat Edinburgh to avenge their
European Challenge Cup semi-final humiliation and dent the Scots' Champions Cup
hopes.
Dragons edged a scrappy first half as two Jason Tovey
penalties and one from Tom Prydie put them 9-0 in front.
Hugh Gustafson's try extended the hosts' lead, rendering
Stuart McInally's score a consolation.
SATURDAY
ULSTER 23-23 MUNSTER
MARSALL TRY GIVES
ULSTER VITAL 2
Tommy Bowe's try towards the end of the first half saw
Ulster recover from nine points down to lead 10-9.
Iain Henderson was sent-off for careless use of the head
late in the game and a Keith Earls try had looked to have won the game for
Munster.
Munster suffered an early setback when flanker Tommy
O'Donnell went off injured but were rewarded for their early superiority when
Ian Keatley kicked the ball between the posts for his first penalty.
Henderson denied Earls a certain try when he halted his
fellow Ireland international as he attacked the Ulster line in the 18th minute.
Earls stepped inside
Louis Ludik and touched down for his fifth try of the season in the right
corner, a score which seemed enough to secure victory for his side.
Yet Ulster fought back to secure a potentially precious two
points as Marshall crossed the line in the left corner after meeting Jackson's
incisive pass, following sustained pressure on their opponents' line.
ZEBRE 10-40 CONNACHT
COONEY DOUBLE AND BONUS
POINT KEEPS CONNACHT EUROPEAN DREAM ALIVE
Jack Carty converted to put Connacht 7-0 ahead but Brendon
Leonard's try helped the home side level the scores after 26 minutes.
Connacht pulled clear when Matt Healy and Cooney ran in for
tries in the 29th and 35th minutes respectively.
Carty was again on target with the conversions and despite
Luciana Orquera landing a penalty for the Italians, Connacht were comfortably
ahead 21-10 at the interval.
Eoghan Masterson secured the bonus point win for the Irish
province with his 54th minute try.
Zebre replacement Luca Redolfini was sin-binned in the 64th
minute and Connacht took advantage of the numerical advantage, Tiernan
O'Halloran and Shane O'Leary running in late tries.
SUNDAY
SCARLETS 16-6 BLUES
OWENS TRY GIVES
SCARLETS VITAL WIN
Rhys Patchell gave Blues an early lead, but Rhys Priestland
kicked 11 points on his final home Scarlets appearance before joining Bath next
season.
Home hooker Ken Owens scored the game's decisive and only
try.
Wayne Pivac will take his side to Treviso next weekend
hoping for a high-scoring, bonus-point win.
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