Leinster late show floors Connacht while Benetton edge out Ospreys

A Ciaran Frawley try in the game’s dying moments sealed a 24-22 victory for Leinster over Connacht in a thrilling Irish derby at the Sportsground in Galway on Saturday night.

The result ended Connacht’s near year-long unbeaten run on their home turf but they did well to fight back from a 19-8 deficit with tries from captain Caolin Blade and Diarmuid Kilgallen bringing them to the verge of their first win over their provincial rivals in seven meetings.

However, Leinster sealed a bonus-point triumph after the full-time hooter had sounded – courtesy of Frawley’s try – and the result means they return to the top of the United Rugby Championship table.

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Short of back-line cover with a six-two bench split, full-back Tiernan O’Halloran’s early injury-enforced departure meant Connacht had to reshuffle – but they replied with a brilliant eighth-minute try.

The returning Mack Hansen combined with Byron Ralston before replacement David Hawkshaw was fed to finish off in the corner. JJ Hanrahan pulled the difficult conversion wide.

After losing three early lineouts, Leinster had a prolonged period of pressure off a five-metre scrum. Connacht held them out despite Cathal Forde’s sin-binning for making head contact with Charlie Ngatai.

A Hanrahan penalty made it 8-0 in the 22nd minute, rewarding Connacht’s scrum, and a scrappy Leinster, with 14 personnel changes, continued to make handling errors.

But as the interval neared, a Connacht penalty was reversed for Shamus Hurley-Langton pulling Ryan Baird’s scrum cap. Ngatai barrelled over from a clever quick-tap move for Harry Byrne to convert.

Early in the second half, Leinster turned the tables on the Connacht lineout. Second-row Jason Jenkins used the momentum swing to burrow over for a converted try after Connacht prop Peter Dooley was yellow carded for offside.

Leinster were now on top, and although James Culhane was held up, Rob Russell nudged a Ngatai kick on and a favourable bounce allowed Ronan Kelleher to cross in the right corner.

Just when Connacht looked to be struggling, replacement Paul Boyle and Forde unlocked the defence in midfield and Blade had the pace to finish from outside the Leinster 22.

Hanrahan converted and also added the extras to Kilgallen’s fifth score of the season, which saw Hansen break past halfway before unleashing his fellow winger for the line.

Both teams had set-piece issues in a nervy finish. A crooked Connacht lineout allowed Leo Cullen’s men to flood forward suddenly, and Frawley coolly stepped inside both Hansen and Forde to leave the home crowd stunned.

Benetton see off Ospreys to seal fifth win of the season

Benetton produced a strong finish to clinch a deserved 18-13 triumph over the Ospreys in their URC clash at Stadio di Monigo in Treviso on Saturday.

A 77th minute try from replacement back Giacomo Da Re sealed the home side’s fifth league win of the season and they deserve plenty of credit for the result although the Ospreys were without several Wales internationals, including Jac Morgan, George North, Dewi Lake and Adam Beard.

The Welsh outfit held a 13-7 lead with 15 minutes left on the clock thanks to tries from full-back Max Nagy and scrum-half Luke Davies, while Dan Edwards kicked a penalty.

But hooker Bautista Bernasconi’s early five-pointer – converted by Jacob Umaga – meant Benetton remained in the hunt before their impressive finale.

Edwards kicked the Ospreys into a 13th-minute lead, yet Benetton responded just four minutes later by scoring a try from their first sustained attack.

Wing Paolo Odogwu ran into the heart of Ospreys’ defence and Benetton’s forwards then took charge as Bernasconi crashed over from close range for a try that Umaga converted.

Both teams were keen to put pace on the ball and Ospreys went close to claiming an outstanding try after flanker Harri Deaves and captain Morgan Morris linked impressively, but a final pass eluded wing Luke Morgan.

Benetton full-back Rhyno Smith then almost unlocked Ospreys’ defence before being tackled into touch and – together with Odogwu – he posed a major threat in wide attacking areas.

Ospreys showed plenty of defensive resilience, though, and they ended the first-half just 7-3 adrift.

🟢 Benetton continue with their outstanding form in the #URC! #BENvOSP pic.twitter.com/z0AyPmVAC9

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) December 2, 2023

The Welsh side needed just two minutes of the second period to move in front as Benetton had no answer to the power and pace of Nagy.

He received the ball just inside Benetton’s half, brushed aside an attempted tackle by Umaga, then sprinted to the corner and eluded Smith’s challenge for an outstanding solo score.

Nagy, though, then appeared to suffer a serious ankle injury when he caught possession behind his own line and was carried off.

But the Ospreys dug deep after that setback and they extended their lead with 20 minutes left after a powerful lineout drive saw Deaves work space well to send Davies over in the corner.

Owen Williams missed a second-successive conversion attempt, meaning Benetton faced a six-point deficit entering the final quarter that Umaga quickly halved when he kicked a short-range penalty.

He repeated the feat five minutes later, tying things up at 13-13, before Da Re produced the final scoring act and Ospreys were sunk.

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