Rugby - Pro12 round-up: An early surge and a third try in two games for centre Eoin O'Malley late on put Leinsteron top of the RaboDirect Pro12 league early in the day after they saw off a determined Trevisoside 30-20 in Italy this afternoon.
Their stay at the top only lasted a few hours until the Ospreysedged ahead on points difference following their 17-6 victory over Connachtat a windswept Sportsground tonight.
And the day's action was completed by a fine showing from a much-changed
Munsterside as they earned a bonus point in a 34-17 victory over
Edinburghat Thomond Park to keep up their recent momentum.
Leinster got off to a flyer and led 14-3 inside the first 10 minutes with tries from number eight Leo Auva’a and winger Fionn Carr, both converted by Fergus McFadden.
Tobias Botes had kicked Treviso’s opening score after four minutes and added two more penalties to reduce the deficit to five points at 9-14. McFadden then increased the margin to eight with a penalty of his own before Botes landed his fourth to leave it 17-15 to Leinster at the break.
McFadden landed his second penalty after the break before a raft of replacements saw the home side enjoy their best period of the game, drawing level after 50 minutes when Manoa Vosawai barged his way over the Leinster line.
Botes missed the kick that would have given them the lead and would also miss a penalty just before the hour mark.
Outhalf Ian Madigan was short with a kick from inside his own half soon after but O’Malley showed the Treviso defence a clean pair of heels to score under the posts and seal victory, with McFadden converting to complete the scoring.
Donncha O'Callaghan and Will Chambers were the only two surviving members of the
Munsterteam that lost to arch rivals Leinster last time out in this competition for the visit of
Edinburgh.
It was the forwards who ultimately handed Tony McGahan's mn the win as they were pushed all the way before pulling away in the final quarter.
On the hour mark a series of scrums saw Michael Bradley's side repeatedly penalised and both props were sent to the sin bin, ensuring Munster's dominant pack opened enough breathing space.
It was Munster who drew first blood when fullback Denis Hurley saw space open up down the left and when he found Danny Barnes near the touchline, the 22-year-old had the simplest of chances to touch down.
Ian Keatley landed the conversion but Edinburgh got in for their first try soon after when Jack Gilding intercepted the ball in his own half on 13 minutes. He found Netani Talei, who freed outhalf Phil Godman to cross and reduce to arrears to two.
Keatley then had three opportunities to add to his side's lead, two of which he took, to give Munster a 13-5 lead at half-time.
Edinburgh started the second half the strongest and wing Tom Brown squeezed over in the left corner before the scrum fiasco ensued and Edinburgh found themselves down to 13 men with Gilding and Kyle Traynor in the bin and 20-10 down after a penalty try was awarded.
Munster quickly added to that and on 66 minutes over went centre Simon Zebo, with Keatley again adding the extras.
Greig Laidlaw grabbed a consolation try and converted to bring the scores to 27-17, but Munster had the final say when winger Luke O'Dea marked his debut to touch down in the corner and secure the bonus point.
Ospreysouthalf Matthew Morgan was again the hero as the Ospreys recorded their third away win of the season in Galway.
Morgan had already saved his side’s blushes in the dying seconds of last week’s Heineken Cup clash in Treviso as his late penalty secured a valuable 26-26 draw.
And with several regulars missing with Wales as they prepare to take on Australia in Shane Williams’s last international appearance at the Millennium Stadium next weekend, Morgan again showed his worth for Scott Johnson's side, scoring a first-half try, as well as adding seven points with the boot
Connacht remain in ninth as they suffered a second successive home defeat to Welsh opposition after their 26-20 loss to Cardiff in their last home league game.
However the home side made the brighter start as Miah Nikora bounced back from missing an early penalty to give Connacht the lead after a quarter of an hour, only for Morgan to level with a penalty of his own three minutes later.
And Morgan's day got even better on 32 minutes as he went over for the first try of the day which he converted himself to give the Ospreys a 10-3 lead.
Nikora managed to pull one penalty back for the home side before the break as they went in 10-6 down.
Connacht were not able to take advantage after Ian Gough was sent to the bin in the second half, and the visitors stretched clear on the hour.
Duncan Jones, on his 150th appearance for the Ospreys collected the ball off the back of a line and went on a rampaging run before the ball found its way to Richard Fussell who fed replacement Sonny Parker to stroll over.
Morgan added the extras to extend the Ospreys lead to 17-6 with 20 minutes remaining.
Eric Elwood's men kept on pressing but a lack of accuracy in the visitors’ 22 cost them any chance of a comeback.
In fact the Ospreys should have added to their lead as Morgan scooped up a knock on in his own 22, streaking down the pitch before finding Hanno Dirksen but the replacement winger couldn’t break through.