PRO14 Round 12 Wrap

PRO14 Round 12 Wrap

We take a look back at the final weekend of PRO14 action for 2018

  • Confident Connacht complete double over Ulster
  • Munster make Leinster fold in game of cards, Edinburgh beat Glasgow again
  • Dragons end wait for derby win over Ospreys
 
 
 

Friday's Action

Connacht climbed to second in Conference A with a relatively comfortable 21-12 Pro14 win over Ulster at the Sportsground on Friday.

Andy Friend's Connacht are the only visiting team to have beaten Ulster at Kingspan Stadium this season and they completed a double over their Irish rivals after a strong start to both halves.

Shane Delahunt crossed after 12 minutes, with Bundee Aki dancing through to follow suit seven minutes later. Jack Carty kicked the conversion on both occasions.


Ulster threatened to come back into contention when Angus Kernohan went over ahead of half-time, but the gap was stretched again two minutes after the restart.

Carty teed up Caolin Blade for Connacht's third try, before Ultan Dillane was yellow-carded for dangerous play at a line-out just a minute on from replacing Quinn Roux.


Jordi Murphy went through off a driving maul on the next play to restore some respectability to the scoreline, but Ulster were unable to turn to get any closer.

Saturday's Action

Munster ended a four-game losing streak against Leinster with a 26-17 triumph on Saturday, while Edinburgh retained the 1872 Cup.
 
 

Leinster had James Lowe sent off as their seven-game unbeaten Pro14 run was ended by rivals Munster in an eventful derby clash at Thomond Park.

The Conference B leaders had won the last four meetings between the teams but paid the price for poor discipline on Saturday, with Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong both sent to the sin-bin inside the first half-hour of the fixture.

Furlong was still off the field when Lowe was shown a red card for taking out Andrew Conway as the Munster player attempted to claim a high kick, the challenge seeing him land on his head as he was flipped in the air.

Chris Cloete scored a try before being carried off on a stretcher while Keith Earls intercepted a pass to reach the line for the hosts, who relied on Joey Carbery's boot - the fly-half kicked 14 points against his former team - to secure a 26-17 win.

 
 

Scarlets also saw an impressive streak of their own come to an emphatic halt as they lost at home for the first time in 27 games, going down 34-5 to Cardiff Blues in a one-sided Welsh derby.

Ray Lee-Lo grabbed two of the visiting team's four tries, Gareth Anscombe securing the additional bonus point in the closing stages when he picked off a pass to score.

Edinburgh retained the 1872 Cup with a game to spare thanks to a hard-fought 16-8 victory away at Glasgow.

Jaco van der Walt kicked 11 points, including converting Stuart McInally's try, as the visitors prevailed at Scotstoun Stadium, with Conference A leaders Glasgow even missing out on a losing bonus when Adam Hastings was unable to add the extras after George Horne had touched down.

Edinburgh had won 23-7 against the same opponents in the first meeting of the best-of-three series last week, though they still remain fifth in Conference B. 



Benetton came out on top in the all-Italian clash with Zebre, triumphing 28-10 to complete the double over their compatriots.

Having triumphed 10-8 in the previous meeting of the teams in Parma, Benetton managed three tries - Luca Bigi, Federico Ruzza and Michele Lamaro the scorers - to run out comfortable winners at Stadio Monigo.



 
Sunday's Action
 
Jason Tovey's late penalty gave the Dragons a first win over the Ospreys since Boxing Day 2014.
 
 

The struggling Dragons ended a four-year wait for a derby win over the Ospreys with a 23-22 triumph at Rodney Parade on Sunday.

Dragons fans had not celebrated a victory over their rivals since Boxing Day 2014, but will head into 2019 on a high after Jason Tovey settled a tense encounter with a penalty six minutes from time.

Sam Davies had a chance to deny the Dragons a first win under caretaker coach Ceri Jones - who stepped in following Bernard Jackman's departure this month - but was off target from the tee right at the end.

Jared Rosser scored the only try of the first half with a brilliant solo effort and the home side led 13-6 at the break, with Josh Lewis booting eight points.

Elliot Dee's converted try gave the Dragons an 11-point lead, but Justin Tipuric went over and Davies took his tally with the boot to 17 points to put the Ospreys in front.

Tovey held his nerve to win it late on, though, with Davies unable to deny the Dragons only a fourth Pro14 win of the season, which moves them six points ahead of bottom side Southern Kings in Conference B.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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