LEINSTER...56 GWENT...39: Leinster should have an internal row before every game. The trouble of earlier in the week seemed to work wonders and clearly had a cathartic effect in concentrating minds and spirit.
The third-worst defence in the Celtic League took their tally of conceded tries to 65, but outscored Mike Ruddock's title-chasing visitors by seven tries to five in a thrilling game to at least keep up their end of the bargain for Ulster and also claim their first win over Welsh opposition since last November.
There were still problems. Felipe Contepomi lacked real presence as chief playmaker due to a tendency to run across field and an unexceptional kicking game. And the defence still had almost as many holes as a soupstrainer, but with attack the best form of defence they outscored the wilting Dragons 31-3 in the last half-hour.
Key to the gradual turnaround was the decision to take points on visits upfield and then turn the screw through an increasingly dominant pack. Reggie Corrigan gave a tour de force as captain, substitute Ben Gissing, a truly Lions-like Malcolm O'Kelly and Victor Costello made the hard yards, the dead-eyed Brian O'Meara kicked from all angles in a 21-point haul and with Shane Horgan's straight running punching holes, something looked likely every time Brian O'Driscoll - full of jinks and daring offloads - touched the ball.
Although the title was on the line for the Dragons in Ruddock's last game as coach and Andy Marinos's farewell as captain/player, Leinster too had plenty to play for: their own pride, Gary Ella, the popular Ken Ging (in his last game as manager), O'Driscoll (in his 50th game), the memory of Mick Doyle, after a minute's silence for the Leinster coach with the best ever win-loss ratio, and, at a push perhaps, Ulster.
In fielding 12 internationals against a team lacking in stars, they showed a renewed hunger, made things happen and hit rucks but, alas, again leaked tries when stretched wide.
Nor did the Dragons have to go through multiple phases to earn them. Their back row made hay in the early evening sunshine, Michael Owen cutting back in between Niall Ronan and O'Kelly's missed tackle to offload for Jason Forster to score.
O'Driscoll was on fire though, and skated in with trademark pace off the mark and an eye for a gap after exchanging passes with Girvan Dempsey. An alert Horgan then latched onto Contepomi's half-blocked kick to put O'Kelly over from 35 metres out.
However, from a lightning-quick tap by Gareth Baber, the Dragons outflanked Leinster's line with an incision by Steve Jones for Breeze to score. Contepomi then compounded an ill-judged attacking chip through when retrieving the ball by attempting a grubber against the advancing four-man line, the ball cannoning off Breeze's leg for Warlow to score a soft try.
Baber then found a hole outside Eric Miller's outstretched arm, Peter Sidoli providing the link for Chris Anthony to score. With the Dragons having obtained a bonus point, a sort of sanity was briefly restored with O'Meara landing penalties either side of one by Montgomery and O'Driscoll skilfully made a three-v-three into a try for James Norton to leave Leinster just 29-25 adrift at the break.
The Dragons lost Montgomery at the interval with a suspected broken hand, Leinster lost Costello to the bin for the second game running, Horgan broke out from deep but fired his offload too high at Brendan Burke and a couple of phases after the turnover Leinster were outflanked when Jamie Ringer offloaded in a double hit for Sidoli to score, Warlow converting.
Moments after Ulster touchjudge Simon McDowell had wrongly ruled out a Ronan try, Dempsey ran the ball back well and Horgan made the hard yards, offloading to Norton to swivel and score through two tackles.
A Warlow penalty and a yellow card for serial offender Jones led to an O'Kelly try off the ensuing lineout maul and another fine O'Meara conversion put Leinster 42-39 ahead. After the officials combined to curiously overrule a Horgan touchdown, Contepomi muscled over. Finally, O'Driscoll scampered across field in front of a tiring defence for Ronan to run in the final try, O'Meara landing another touchline conversion.
Scoring sequence: 6 mins: Forster try, Montgomery con 0-7; 10: O'Driscoll try 5-7; 13: O'Kelly try, O'Meara con 12-7; 15: Breeze try, Montgomery con 12-14; 20: Warlow try 12-19; 28: Anthony try, Montgomery con 12-26; 32: O'Meara pen 15-26; 35: Montgomery pen 15-29; 37: Norton try, O'Meara con 22-29; 40 (+2 mins): O'Meara pen 25-29; Half-time: 25-29; 48: Sidoli try, Warlow con 25-36; 54: O'Meara pen 28-36; 61: Norton try, O'Meara con 35-36; 64: Warlow pen 35-39; 68: O'Kelly try, O'Meara con 42-39; 77: Contepomi try, O'Meara con 49-39; 83: Ronan try, O'Meara con 56-39.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; J Norton, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, B Burke; F Contepomi, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, E Byrne, L Cullen, M O'Kelly, E Miller, V Costello, N Ronan. Replacements: B Gissing for Cullen (57 mins), S Brophy for E Byrne (79 mins), A McCullen for Miller, D Dillon for Costello (both 81 mins).
Sin-binned: Costello (44-54 mins).
GWENT DRAGONS: S Tuipuloto; H Luscombe, P Montgomery, A Marinos (capt), B Breeze; C Warlow, G Baber; A Black, S Jones, C Anthony, I Gough, P Sidoli, J Ringer, M Owen, J Forster. Replacements: A Gerald for Montgomery (half-time), R Snow for Anthony, R Thomas for Black (both 70 mins), K Crawford for Ringer, S Winn for Marinos (both 73 mins), R Oakley for Crawford (79 mins), R Jones for Baber (81 mins).
Sin-binned: Steve Jones (67-77 mins).
Referee: Gregg Davies (Scotland).
