It is neck and neck at the top of the Magners League with just one point separating all four teams currently in the play-off zone. The tone for the weekend was set on Friday night with Glasgow Warriors’ dramatic 19-19 draw with Connacht opening up the way for new leaders.
Leinster duly returned to the top of the table for the first time since the completion of round 7 following their 29-20 victory over Cardiff Blues on Sunday.
The reigning European champions have now remained in the league’s play-off zone for 12 consecutive rounds, and with two games in hand over their nearest rivals, Michael Cheika’s men are in a strong position.
Edinburgh are back into play-off contention courtesy of their 33-17 bonus point win over the Ospreys on Sunday, a result that dropped the Welsh region into third place.
Tim Visser’s second half hat-trick of tries, completed in just five minutes, is the fastest ever scored in the Magners League – taking Rhys Williams’ record which he set playing for the Cardiff Blues in 2007.
Munster were perhaps the biggest losers of the round, their defeat by the Newport Gwent Dragons dropping them out of a top four spot, and seeing the gap increase between themselves and the leaders.
Ulster also slipped a place following their reversal at the hands of the Scarlets.
If the play-offs took place now, the semi-final match-ups would be Leinster v Glasgow Warriors (1st v 4th) and Edinburgh v Ospreys (2nd v 3rd).
2009/10 MAGNERS LEAGUE – AFTER ROUND 13:
TOP TRY SCORERS –
6 – Tim Visser (Edinburgh)
5 – Aled Brew (Newport Gwent Dragons), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Tom James (Cardiff Blues), Nikki Walker (Ospreys)
4 – Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Fionn Carr (Connacht), Jerry Collins (Ospreys), Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors), Nick Williams (Munster)
TOP POINTS SCORERS –
138 – Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) (9 conversions, 36 penalty goals and 4 drop goals)
115 – Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) (2 tries, 15 conversions and 25 penalty goals)
107 – Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues) (1 try, 15 conversions and 24 penalty goals)
98 – Ian Humphreys (Ulster) (2 tries, 11 conversions and 22 penalty goals)
96 – Ian Keatley (Connacht) (3 conversions, 29 penalty goals and 1 drop goal)
93 – Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) (1 try, 8 conversions, 23 penalty goals and 1 drop goal)
92 – Dan Biggar (Ospreys) (1 try, 12 conversions, 17 penalty goals and 4 drop goals)
BEST PLACE-KICKERS –
88.89% – Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) (40 successful kicks from 45 attempts)
84.21% – Jason Tovey (Newport Gwent Dragons) (16/19)
83.78% – Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) (31/37)
72.58% – Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) (45/62)
71.11% – Ian Keatley (Connacht) (32/45)
Qual: 10 place-kicks at goal
RESULTS ROUND-UP –
Friday, March 5, 2010 at the Sportsground
Connacht (3) 19: Gavin Duffy(T), Ian Keatley(C/4P)
Glasgow Warriors (6) 19: DTH van der Merwe(T), James Eddie(T), Ruaridh Jackson(3P)
Attendance: 1,412
Connacht v Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Friday, March 5, 2010 at Parc y Scarlets
Scarlets (15) 25: Tavis Knoyle(T), Andrew Fenby(T), Rhys Priestland(T/2C/2P)
Ulster (3) 8: Ian Humphreys(P), Paddy Wallace(T)
Attendance: 6,266
Scarlets v Ulster Match Report
Saturday, March 6, 2010 at Rodney Parade
Newport Gwent Dragons (13) 31: Will Harries(T), Jason Tovey(2C/4P), Aled Brew(T), Martyn Thomas(T)
Munster (7) 22: Tony Buckley(T) Ronan O’Gara(2C/P), Tommy O’Donnell(T), Penalty try(T)
Attendance: 6,137
Newport Gwent Dragons v Munster Match Report
Sunday, March 7, 2010 at Murrayfield
Edinburgh Rugby (7) 33: David Blair(C), Ben Cairns(T), Phil Godman(3C), Mark Robertson(T), Tim Visser(3T)
Ospreys (0) 17: Dan Biggar(C), Jerry Collins(T), Sonny Parker(T), Nikki Walker(T)
Attendance: 2,329
Sunday, March 7, 2010 at Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff Blues (12) 20: Ben Blair(C), Chris Czekaj(T), Gary Powell(T), Ceri Sweeney(P), Sam Warburton(T)
Leinster (16) 29: Bernard Jackman(T), Shaun Berne(D), Fergus McFadden(T/2C/4P)
Attendance: 9,384
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