Leinster off top, Munster tame Lions
LEINSTER surrendered their place at the top of the URC table after going down to a 42-12 defeat to Stormers in Cape Town last night.
Glasgow’s bonus-point win over Zebre Parma earlier in the day means the Scottish side hold a four-point advantage at the summit with just three rounds to go.
Munster are in third place, a point behind Leinster, after they became the first European team to win in Johannesburg in the URC this season after demolishing the Lions 33-13.
It was a sixth successive league victory for the champions and completed a successful two-match tour of South Africa having dispatched the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld a week earlier.
But Graham Rowntree’s side had to work hard for their scores and they spent lengthy spells of the second half defending their line having built a 28-6 lead before securing the bonus point in the final minute.
Jack Crowley kicked them into a ninepoint lead through three penalties in a tight start, while Munster’s tries, all converted by Crowley, came from Jack O’Donoghue, Shane Daly and Gavin Coombes, as well as a penalty try in first-half stoppage time when Simon Zebo was taken out off the ball as he was close to scoring.
The Stormers earned their bonus-point victory over Leinster after tries from Ben Loader, Samaan Moerat, Herschel Jantjies, Willie Engelbrecht and Warrick Gelant, with fly-half Manie Libbok converting four and adding three penalties for a personal haul of 17 points.
Max Deegan and Rob Russell went over for tries for Leinster with Sam Prendergast adding a conversion.
Meanwhile, Connacht ran out 34-27 winners over the Dragons in a thrilling clash at Rodney Parade in the late game to stay in contention for the play-off spots.
Earlier, Edinburgh picked up a valuable four points in their quest for an end of season playoff spot as Cardiff finished their Arms Park season miserably, going down 24-7 to their visitors.