Guinness Pro 12 Weekend Round-Up

May 02, 2017
2090
Ultimate Rugby

Pro 12 Rugby Round-Up

Scarlets secured their passage to the playoffs of the Pro 12 with an impressive five-try victory in Galway.

Liam Williams and Johnny McNicholl both touched down in the opening half in which the Scarlets scored four tries to clinch a bonus point, with winger Steff Evans twice crossing the whitewash.

Rhys Patchell added a penalty and a conversion before DTH van der Merwe sealed a fine victory for the Scarlets late on to guarantee Wayne Pivac's side an away semi-final against either Leinster or Munster.

Cardiff Blues emerged as narrow victors over Zebre at Cardiff Arms Park. The hosts were dominant in the opening exchanges, building up a comfortable 20-point cushion.

The Italians came out strongly after the break and a series of scrum-fives saw Taufa'ao Filise yellow-carded and a penalty try converted by Carlo Canna.

Zebre hit back as Mbanda drove over from close range, before replacement prop Chistolini was shown the red card with 15 minutes remaining.

In the end, Cardiff had done enough to put sufficient distance between the sides and it was a case of too little too late for the Italians.

Danny Wilson's side complete the regular Pro12 season against Dragons before a European Champions Cup play-off semi-final away to English or French opposition.

A dramatic late comeback saw Edinburgh snatch victory from the jaws of a potential 10th straight defeat to deny Dragons at Myreside.

The visitors built a 20-3 lead with 10 minutes left after tries from Pat Howard and Carl Meyer and two penalties from Angus O'Brien.

Three tries from Blair Kinghorn, Damien Hoyland & Grant Gilchrist in the final 10 minutes gave Edinburgh the victory in the dying moments, culminating in an 8th straight Pro 12 defeat for the Dragons.

Leinster secured a 31-30 victory over Glasgow Warriors in a well contested encounter.

Leinster led 23-6 at half-time after tries from Dominic Ryan, Rory O'Loughlin and Peter Dooley.

A second half comeback from the visitors brought them to within an inch of claiming victory, with tries from Adam Ashe, Lee Jones and Finn Russell.

Substitute Joey Carbery restored Leinster's lead with a penalty to edge his side in front, maintaining their unbeaten RDS run since February 2015.

Ospreys ended Ulster's slim hopes of making the play-off's with a 24-10 win at the Liberty Stadium.

The Ospreys ended a run of four straight defeats to put themselves in a pole position to reach the Pro 12 semi-finals at the expense of Ulster.

The home side were clinical in attack, with two first-half tries they led by 14 at half time. Ulster threw everything at their opponets in the 2nd half, but for all their efforts they could not find the whitewash.