15-4-19 pro 14 matches that matter
PRO 14 RUGBY MATCHES
THAT MATTER
TREVISO 28-37 MUNSTER
GOGGIN GOES
Treviso were quick out of the blocks and led 10-0 early on
thanks to a Tommaso Benvenuti try and the boot of Tommaso Allan.
Munster hit back through converted tries from Rhys Marshall
and Dan Goggin, but two penalties from Allan nosed his side back in front at
16-14.
JJ Hanrahan kicked the first of three penalties for Munster
to regain the lead, but Monty Ioane crossed for Treviso and then Munster lost
Darren Sweetnam to the sin bin.
Treviso collected a penalty try for a 28-20 lead but Munster
then found gear.
Shane Daly and Alby Mathewson both crossed the whitewash,
with Hanrahan tagging the extras on both for a come-from-behind win.
MY
OPINION
Munster have put themselves in a
strong position in this season and another win should be enough for Munster to
finish in top spot. I see Munster showed here what they can do and makes things
difficult for the Italians
.
EDINBURGH 7-29 ULSTER
BANG BURNS
Tries from Jordi Murphy, Robert Baloucoune, Rob Lyttle and
Billy Burns secured a bonus point victory which, combined with Benetton losing
to Munster, means Ulster are assured of a top two finish.
Edinburgh’s points came from a converted second half try
from John Barclay
MY
OPINION
This was a solid win for Ulster
and as they know their opponents in the quarters maybe both them and Leinster
should play weakened sides as neither result really matters to either side.
Edinburgh are now going to be playing Treviso for that third spot
LEINSTER 28-39 GLASGOW
FANTASTIC FAGERSON
Adam Hastings kicked Glasgow into an early lead before Dave
Kearney scored the games' first try. Another Hastings penalty snuck the
Warriors back in front before a moment of magic granted them their first try.
Ali Price sniped round the fringes of the ruck and raced
downfield, Sam Johnson was with him in support and an audacious pass out of the
back found the Scotland international centre who won the race to the line,
fending defenders along the way.
Leinster scored a second after 30+ phases but it was the
Warriors who would have the final say of the first half, a perfeclty floated
Adam Hastings pass over the top of the Irish defence dropping into Tommy
Seymours hands.
Having fallen behind, Glasgow finally got their hands on the
ball and sent a penalty to the corner. The driving maul rolled over the
Leinster line and Matt Fagerson was the man at the back to touch down.
His brother got in on the action shortly after, Glasgow
doing to Leinster what the Irishmen had done to them earlier that half,
patiently going through the phases before hammering in the final nail. Zander
Fagerson with his second try in consecutive matches.
Adam Hastings' kick took Glasgow's lead to 8 and as Leinster
threw everything at the men in black Warriors soaked up the pressure and
launched a counter attack resulting in George Horne's intercept try right on
the final whistle.
MY OPINION
This is a huge worry for
Leinster going into the semi-finals of the Champions Cup and what exactly it is
that is needed to change . Glasgow are showing that they are improving and they
might be ready for a real push even as the Pro 14 but they are chasing Munster
for top spot
CONNACHT 29-22 BLUES
HAPPY HEALY GIVE
CONACHT KILLER WIN
In the 12th minute, a defensive lapse from Wales
international Dillon Lewis at the side of a ruck left a gap for impressive
Connacht flanker Paul Boyle to burst through.
Matthew Morgan made the cover tackle but Boyle found
scrum-half Caolin Blade with the offload, sending him over unopposed for the
opening score, which Carty converted.
The Blues stuck to their gameplan though, and got plenty of
joy as they looked after the ball for countless phases, working their way up
field.
Lane challenged the gainline before Gareth Anscombe found
Lane hitting a lovely angle, shrugging off the Connacht defence before burning
off the cover to go under the sticks.
It was Lane’s ninth try in nine games for the region and
Anscombe duly converted.
But Ethan Lewis was robbed of possession by Bundee Aki from
the kick off and suddenly Connacht were setting up camp in the Blues’ 22.
Carty dabbed it into the corner and second row Gavin
Thornberry was the man holding the ball when a powerful maul rumbled over the
line.
The fly-half then nailed the touchline conversion but the
Blues won’t have been disappointed to be trailing by just seven points at the
break.
The hosts worked field position before Blues tight-head
Lewis gave away a penalty in his own 22. Carty just about knocking it over into
the wind from just 15 metres out.
Connacht ran from their own 22, starting with a Bundee Aki’s
offload to Darragh Leader that set them on their way.
The ball went to the far side and winger Matt Healy raced
into the Cardiff Blues half. The ball was quick and Carty breezed through a gap
before kicking in behind Morgan, racing past the Cardiff Blues full-back and
diving over.
They continued to pile on the pressure and eventually got
their rewards when Josh Turnbull was dragged over by a rolling maul in the 71st
minute. Anscombe’s touchline conversion bringing his side to within seven
points.
More controversy followed from the kick off, the ball wasn’t
gathered from the kick off, Colby Fainga’a hacked through and Lane fumbled it
under pressure from Farrell near his own line.
Matt Healy gathered and finished well.
MY
OPINION
This was a vital win in the Irish
side’s season as they would have not been expected to reach the quarter finals
and they are definitely showing signs of progress you do wonder whether this
can be seen as progression for next year as it is the world cup
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