PRO14: Scarlets, Edinburgh, Leinster win

Leinster edged Munster as the PRO14 returned with derbies over the weekend

Recap all the action from the Guinness PRO14 as Scarlets, Edinburgh and Leinster picked up big derby wins over Cardiff Blues, Glasgow and Munster respectively…

Scarlets 32-12 Cardiff Blues

Rugby finally returned to Wales after a break of 169 days and it was business as usual for the Scarlets as they completed a Guinness PRO14 double over Cardiff Blues at Parc y Scarlets, winning 32-12.

It took the home side a mere four minutes to get back in the groove when they worked flanker Ed Kennedy over for the opening try in the left corner.

Back came the Scarlets and some fast feet from Steff Evans opened up a gap for new signing Johnny Williams to race 20 metres deep into the Blues’ 22. Leigh Halfpenny then picked out Kennedy with a long pass and he opened the scoring.

Halfpenny was wide with the conversion and then struck the upright with a penalty off the 10-metre line as the pressure built on the visitors.

The Blues managed to hold up a driving line-out and then stole a Scarlets throw, but when Evans charged down a kick up field by Harri Millard on the Blues’ 10 metre line, all he had to do was kick and control the ball for the second try.

The Scarlets scored twice more, through lock Sam Lousi and Wales wing Johnny McNicholl, and it was all over.

Glasgow Warriors 15-30 Edinburgh

Nic Groom scored two tries on Scottish rugby’s return to action as Edinburgh beat Glasgow 30-15 to advance their Guinness PRO14 title chances.

The victory at BT Murrayfield strengthened Edinburgh’s position at the top of Conference B after sealing qualification for the semi-finals, putting themselves in the driving seat for a home tie in the last four.

Scrum-half Groom scored in between Glasgow tries from Pete Horne and Adam Hastings in an exciting spell before the interval following a naturally slow start to the two teams’ first game in six months.

Warriors held a two-point lead until Groom went over on the hour mark following brilliant wing play from Duhan Van Der Merwe.

Richard Cockerill’s side managed the game well and another scrum-half, Charlie Shiel, put the game out of sight with an individual try.

As well as sealing the 1872 Cup, Edinburgh moved six points clear of Munster ahead of their kick-off against Leinster with a home semi-final very much in their hands ahead of their final game of the regular season, against Glasgow on Friday.

Leinster 27-25 Munster

JJ Hanrahan’s missed conversion allowed Leinster to hold off a late fightback from Munster and claim a 27-25 win as the Guinness PRO14 returned to the Aviva Stadium.

Almost six months on from their last game due to the suspension of the season due to the coronavirus, Garry Ringrose’s late first-half try forged a 17-13 half-time lead for Leinster.

Hanrahan’s reliable right boot had Munster 13-10 ahead, with Andrew Conway and Cian Healy swapping early tries. However, their hopes of improving their second-place standing in Conference B were hit by injuries.

James Lowe finished off some slick interplay to put Leinster 11 points clear with half-an-hour remaining. Keith Earls and Conway crossed in a stirring Munster fightback, but Leinster replacement Ross Byrne’s 69th-minute penalty ultimately proved vital.

RG Snyman’s Munster debut cruelly lasted just seven minutes, the South African lock jarring his left knee when stealing a lineout. Injury also ended Dave Kilcoyne (ankle) and Jean Kleyn’s (neck) night prematurely, while James Cronin (groin) pulled out in the warm up, but the visitors responded in admirable fashion to claim a losing bonus-point and almost more.

Benetton 13-17 Zebre

Zebre beat Benetton 17-13 in the Italian derby as the Guinness PRO14 returned to action after nearly six months away because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Benetton struck first with a Paolo Garbisi penalty, but Zebre led 10-3 at the break through a Tomasso Boni try and five points from the boot of Carlo Canna.

Garbisi reduced the deficit with a penalty before Antonio Rizzi converted Jimmy Tuivati’s try, and that was enough for a Zebre win even though Joaquin Riera went over for a late try which Ian Keatley improved.