Magners League: Round 3 Review
Round 3 of the Magners League brought a second consecutive weekend that saw four home victories – the Newport Gwent Dragons, conquerors of Ulster, were the only team to win on the road in this round.
Connacht claimed their first points of the season with a 15 -8 win over Glasgow Warriors at the Sportsground on Friday night.
Table-topping Munster remain the only team in the Magners League with a 100% winning record this season, thanks to three victories out of three.
Isa Nacewa’s two drop goals in the victory over Ospreys set a new Leinster record.
With the addition of James Hook’s opening drop kick, Leinster v Ospreys became only the second Magners League game in which three drop goals have been kicked.
The previous occasion being Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh at Hughenden on December 27, 2003.
The Newport Gwent Dragons’ 16-14 victory over Ulster at Ravenhill was coach Paul Turner’s first Magners League success on the road in Ireland.
2008/09 MAGNERS LEAGUE – AFTER ROUND 3:
TOP TRY SCORERS –
4 – Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster)
3 – Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors), Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets)
TOP POINTS SCORERS –
43 – James Hook (Ospreys) (2 tries, 6 conversions, 6 penalty goals and 1 drop goal)
41 – Felipe Contepomi (Leinster) (7 conversions and 9 penalty goals)
36 – Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues) (1 try, 5 conversions and 7 penalty goals), Stephen Jones (Scarlets) (6 conversions and 8 penalty goals)
30 – James Arlidge (Newport Gwent Dragons) (3 conversions and 8 penalty goals)
25 – Paul Warwick (Munster) (2 tries, 6 conversions and 1 penalty goal)
24 – Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) (3 conversions and 6 penalty goals)
23 – Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) (1 conversion and 7 penalty goals)
20 – Keith Earls (Munster), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster)
BEST PLACE-KICKERS –
84.21% – Felipe Contepomi (Leinster) (16 successful kicks out of 19 attempts)
77.78% – Stephen Jones (Scarlets) (14/18)
75% – James Hook (Ospreys) (12/16)
73.33% – James Arlidge (Newport Gwent Dragons) (11/15)
72.73% – Ronan O’Gara (Munster) (8/11)
69.23% – Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) (9/13)
66.67% – Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues) (12/18)
44.44% – Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) (8/18)
Qual: 10 place-kicks at goal
RESULTS ROUND-UP –
Friday, September 19, 2008 at the Sportsground
Connacht (12) 15: Fionn Carr(T) Andy Dunne(P) Ian Keatley(C) Brett Wilkinson(T)
Glasgow Warriors (8) 8: Thom Evans(T) Dan Parks(P)
Attendance: 1,252
Connacht v Glasgow Warriors Match Report
Michael Bradley Audio Interview
Friday, September 19, 2008 at Ravenhill
Ulster (7) 14: Ian Humphreys(T) Kieron Dawson(T) Clinton Schifcofske(2C)
Newport Gwent Dragons (9) 16: James Arlidge(C/3P) Ashley Smith(T)
Attendance: 7,885
Ulster v Newport Gwent Dragons Match Report
Friday, September 19, 2008 at Murrayfield
Edinburgh (15) 32: Nick de Luca(T) Phil Godman(D/P) Allan Jacobsen(T) Mark Robertson(2T) Chris Paterson(3C)
Scarlets (0) 12: Martin Roberts(T) Morgan Stoddart(T) Ceiron Thomas(C)
Attendance: 2,655
Friday, September 19, 2008 at the RDS
Leinster (7) 19: Luke Fitzgerald(T) Felipe Contepomi(C/2P) Isa Nacewa(2D)
Ospreys (6) 13: James Hook(C/D/P) Nikki Walker(T)
Attendance: 15,140
Leinster v Ospreys Match Report
Saturday, September 20, 2008 at Musgrave Park
Munster (7) 28: Paul O’Connell(T) Ronan O’Gara(4C) Justin Melck(T) Niall Ronan(2T)
Cardiff Blues (10) 20: Ben Blair(2C/2P) Richard Mustoe(T) Ma’ama Molitika(T)
Attendance: 7,629