RaboDirect Pro12: Week 10 Review

The Pro12 leaderboard has a new team at the top after a weekend of some fantastic rugby which saw some close games and a couple of teams getting absolutely battered.

Ulster 24 - 17 Scarlets 

Stephen Ferris led his team to victory with a fantastic fightback as Ulster denied the Scarlets their ninth successive win. The Irish side finally looked to get their Pro12 campaign underway as they beat the Scarlets 24 - 17 at Ravenhill. The visitors found themselves with the early lead as Sean Lamont went over for a try in the second minute before Viliame Iongi went over just before the quarter mark, Stephen Jones' wayward kick meant neither of the conversions found target. An on target penalty by Ian Humphreys minutes later meant that Ulster finally had some points on the board and when Daniel Evans was sin-binned for a deliberate offside the Welsh side were made to pay as Ferris went over for his first try. The comeback was sealed in the second-half with Humphreys adding three more penalties to his tally before Ferris went over for his second try. The Scarlets had one last attempt in them with Kieran Murphy going over for their third try which Jones duly converted but it was little too late for the visitors.

Connacht 13 - 15 Benetton Treviso

Connacht could only manage a losing bonus-point as they lost their eight successive game at home to Treviso. The visitors got off to a flying start as their scoreboard saw a penalty, two tries and a conversion in the first 22 minutes of play, in fact they won the game in little more than the first quarter and Connacht were left with work to do. Brendan Williams and Tommaso Iannone went over the line for the visitors while Willem De Waal's kicking was in fine form as he added the extra points. Fabio Semenzato was sin-binned and Connacht made no mistake in taking advantage of their one-man advantage. Man of the match Dave McSharry scored his first try for Connacht as he tried to put the hosts back in contention for a win but even with Niall O'Connor adding the extras it wasn't enough for the home side who have had a run of poor form recently. O'Connor added three more points for the home side in the second half which was enough to give them the losing bonus-point.

Edinburgh 50 - 10 Aironi 

Tim Visser fully deserved his man of the match status after he inspired Edinburgh's bonus-point win over Aironi going over for three of their seven tries. Greig Ladilaw missed an early kick at goal but that was to be forgotten as David Denton went over for a try in the seventh minute before Visser scored two of his three before the first quarter was up, all three tries were duly converted by Ladilaw. George Biagi put the only points of the first half on the board for the visitors shortly before Tebaldi was sin-binned. Ladilaw's boot and a try from Nick De Luca saw the Italians suffer further. Shortly after half time Visser went over for his third before Lee Jones and Chris Leck also made sure their names were on the score board. Filippo Ferrarinni managed a late try for the Italians but he was hardly a consolation as they get hammered by the Scottish side who have won seven of their nine home games this season.

Leinster 52 - 9 Cardiff Blues

Fergus McFadden's boot wasn't affected by the gusty conditions in Dublin as he kicked over 18 points for Leinster as they ran circles around the Welsh side who were missing some of their big names due to the Welsh international. Their bonus point win saw them claim the top spot in the Pro12 table as they left the Blues high and dry. McFadden and his opposite number Ceri Sweeney kicked two and three penalties respectively in the first half while McFadden added the extras to Isaac Boss' try. Leinster dominated the second half which saw McFadden add a drop-goal and two conversions to his tally before Jonathan Sexton took over kicking duty. Nathan White got his name on the board early in the second half. Things turned from bad to worse after they were unable to take advantage when Leo Cullen was sin-binned while Leinster made the Blues pay after Richie Rees was sin-binned with Ian Madigan going over for a try before David Kearney score two in three minutes. Cardiff found themselves penalised in the final minute giving Leo Auva'a the chance to go over the line with Sexton adding the extras in the final play of the match.

Ospreys 19 - 13 Munster 

Ospreys recorded a rare double over Munster despite missing 19 players through international duty and injury. However they ended up second in the table after Leinster's spectacular win over Cardiff Blues. The home side had to come from behind as they trailed 6 - 10 at half time. Matthew Morgan kicked two penalties for the Ospreys while Doug Howlett went over for a try after a turnover left Munster with numbers out wide, Keatley added the extras. Minutes after the restart Richard Fussell went over for the Ospreys but Morgan was unable to add the extras and it wasn't long before Rhys Webb also went over for a try, Morgan again unsuccessful with the conversion. Ronan O'Gara put Munster back within a score of the home side after kicking a penalty over but it wasn't long before Morgan was able to reply this time getting his kick right on target.

Newport Gwent Dragons 14 - 14 Glasgow Warriors 

Jason Tovey ensured the Dragons got a draw against Glasgow with the last kick of the game ending their run of five consecutive losses. An uneventful first half saw Glasgow 0 -3 up after Steffan Jones missed two relatively easy penalties. Ruaridh Jackson extended the Warriors lead straight after the restart but it was not long before Jones added points to his sides scoreboard. After coming on as a substitute Tovey took over kicking duty and found the target on his first attempt reducing the deficit to just three points. The match really came to life in the final stages as Tom Riley went over for a try for the home side which put them into the lead for the first time in the game but Tovey was unable to add the extras. Six minutes later it looked like Scott Wight has sealed the game of Glasgow as he went over for a try but after he missed the conversion Tovey held his nerve to draw level after the Dragons were awarded a penalty inside the 22.