Magners League: Round 6 Review
Munster remain top of the Magners League table despite suffering their first loss of the season to Ulster at Ravenhill on Saturday night.
Ravenhill was coincidently the venue for Munster’s last away loss in April. Saturday’s welcome win lifting the Ulstermen off the bottom of the table.
Glasgow Warriors’ defeat of reigning champions Leinster put the Scottish side into third place in the table behind Munster and the Ospreys.
The loss meant Leinster equalled their worst league run since the 2003/04 season.
In a battle of the kickers in poor weather conditions, Dan Parks’ five successes out of six penalty attempts was enough to give the home side the victory.
Elsewhere, a Magners League record was created at the Sportsground on Friday night with all 41 points in the game between Connacht and Edinburgh scored at one end of the ground.
Edinburgh were leading 27-0 at half-time, while Connacht managed to score 14 unanswered points in the second half.
The previous highest score for this feat was the 35 points racked up by Ebbw Vale and Bridgend in September 2001.
2008/09 MAGNERS LEAGUE – AFTER ROUND 6:
TOP TRY SCORERS –
5 – Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors)
4 – Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Doug Howlett (Munster)
3 – Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), James Hook (Ospreys), Mark Jones (Scarlets), Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets)
2 – Isaac Boss (Ulster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Nathan Brew (Scarlets), Fionn Carr (Connacht), Richard Fussell (Newport Gwent Dragons), Deacon Manu (Scarlets), Justin Melck (Munster), Ma’ama Molitika (Cardiff Blues), Martin Roberts (Scarlets), Mark Robertson (Edinburgh), Niall Ronan (Munster), Ceri Sweeney (Cardiff Blues), Nikki Walker (Ospreys), Paul Warwick (Munster), Shane Williams (Ospreys)
TOP POINTS SCORERS –
71 – Felipe Contepomi (Leinster) (7 conversions and 19 penalty goals)
61 – James Hook (Ospreys) (3 tries, 11 conversions, 7 penalty goals and 1 drop goal)
50 – Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) (1 try, 6 conversions and 11 penalty goals)
47 – Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) (4 conversions and 13 penalty goals)
46 – Stephen Jones (Scarlets) (1 try, 7 conversions and 9 penalty goals)
36 – Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues) (1 try, 5 conversions and 7 penalty goals), Ronan O’Gara (Munster) (9 conversions and 6 penalty goals)
31 – Paul Warwick (Munster) (2 tries, 6 conversions and 3 penalty goals)
30 – James Arlidge (Newport Gwent Dragons) (3 conversions and 8 penalty goals)
26 – Ian Keatley (Connacht) (4 conversions and 6 penalty goals)
25 – Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors) (5 tries)
21 – Clinton Schifcofske (Ulster) (3 conversions and 5 penalty goals), Ceri Sweeney (Cardiff Blues) (2 tries, 4 conversions and 1 penalty goal)
20 – Keith Earls (Munster) (4 tries), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster) (4 tries), Doug Howlett (Munster) (4 tries)
17 – Colin Gregor (Glasgow Warriors) (1 try and 4 penalty goals)
BEST PLACE-KICKERS –
90% – Paul Warwick (Munster) (9 successful kicks out of 10 attempts)
80.95% – Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) 17/21)
78.79% – Felipe Contepomi (Leinster) (26/33)
76.92% – Ian Keatley (Connacht) (10/13)
73.33% – James Arlidge (Newport Gwent Dragons) (11/15)
72.73% – Ian Keatley (Connacht) 8/11)
72% – James Hook (Ospreys) (18/25)
71.43% – Ronan O’Gara (Munster) (15/21)
66.67% – Stephen Jones (Scarlets) (16/24), Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues) (12/18)
60% – Shaun Connor (Newport Gwent Dragons) (3/5), Ian Humphreys (Ulster) (3/5)
56.67% – Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) (17/30)
55.56% – Ceri Sweeney (Cardiff Blues) (5/9)
44.44% – Clinton Schifcofske (Ulster) (8/18), Colin Gregor (Glasgow Warriors) (4/9)
33.33% – Niall O’Connor (Ulster) (2/6)
RESULTS ROUND-UP –
Friday, October 24, 2008 at the Sportsground
Connacht (0) 14: Gavin Duffy(T) Fionn Carr(T) Ian Keatley(2C)
Edinburgh (27) 27: Simon Webster(T) Chris Paterson(T/3C/2P) Mike Blair(T)
Attendance: 1,868
Connacht v Edinburgh Match Report
Friday, October 24, 2008 at Firhill Arena
Glasgow Warriors (12) 15: Dan Parks(5P)
Leinster (3) 12: Felipe Contepomi(4P)
Attendance: 2,523
Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Match Report
Saturday, October 25, 2008 at Ravenhill
Ulster (15) 22: Timoci Nagusa(2T) Isaac Boss(T) Ian Humphreys(2C/P)
Munster (6) 6: Paul Warwick(2P)
Attendance: 10,058