When Connacht beat Leinster at the Sportsground in early October there was an argument for believing that it was a good result for Irish rugby and the Magners League, whatever about Leinster, writes Gerry Thornley

Likewise the upheavals over the festive period provoked by Connacht and Ulster both beating the reigning European champions could be seen in a generally positive light for both the league and the game in this country, if less so for Munster; certainly not on the sheer scale of their shock defeat to Ulster.

Ireland needs four strong provinces, not two, and the work being done by Matt Williams and Michael Bradley, and their respective staffs, can only be beneficial. Each has made significant strides this season. Bradley doesn't have the strength in depth of the other provinces, particularly Leinster and Munster, and has clearly targeted games this season, primarily at home, in the derbies and to a large degree, in the Challenge Cup.

They have shipped a couple of 50-pointers along the way at Ulster and Cardiff as well as 45-3 defeat away to the Scarlets, but they have still won six of their 13 competitive fixtures this season and their only defeats at home have been to the respective leaders of the Premiership and the Magners League, as well as Edinburgh.

As they showed in the RDS last Friday night, their defence has improved immeasurably this season and they have made themselves cussedly difficult to play against when at more or less full strength, and were robbed of a bonus point against Leinster.

Just as importantly, Connacht are developing the likes of Seán Cronin, Frank Murphy, Ian Keatley and Fionn Carr.

It is Connacht's misfortune that the teams around them in recent seasons, such as the Dragons and Ulster, are also making strides. In Ulster's case, the foundations being put in place by Williams are likely to yield an even swifter dividend.

When losing six of their first seven games this season (their only win being a scratchy 13-9 Magners League victory at home to Edinburgh) the questioning of Williams' methods was becoming louder and louder, with rumours that he would be gone by Christmas. But one could still see that those foundations - the tried and trusted Williams ones of improved discipline and defence - were being put in place.

It's also been striking to see the improvement in the conditioning of some Ulster players, notably Paddy Wallace, Darren Cave, Mark McCrea and Tom Court, whom Williams retained faith in when few others did.

It's remarkable to think that were an 'interprovincial' table in existence this season, Ulster would be topping it with 14 points, followed by Leinster on nine, Connacht on eight and Munster last, on four points.

The turning point for Ulster's season was the 22-6 win at home to Munster at the end of October, and in particular the enforced early arrival in that game of Ian Humphreys for the injured Niall O'Connor.

Almost in one bound, Ulster broke free - especially their backs. In the seven games before that, they had scored eight tries - in the six since they have scored 21 (all but three of them by backs).

Humphreys had been left out for missing four tackles in a pre-season friendly but he now leads the line very quickly and effectively. Just as pertinently, he attacks the gain line well and brings others into the game. Humphreys brings a rich variety of offloads, darts and deft kicks to his game, which he can disguise and delay until the last second, and he also gives and supports as well as attacking the gain line better than most outhalves. He must be emerging as a viable understudy to Ronan O'Gara in the Six Nations.

In any event, between Humphreys, Cave, David Pollock, Ryan Caldwell, Court and McCrea, as he did with so many at Leinster, Williams is helping to develop several future internationals, and that's not overlooking the rejuvenation in the form of Wallace, Stephen Ferris and Isaac Boss.

Admittedly, there are some worrying signs for Munster and Leinster. One cannot recall for a long time seeing a Munster team implode amid such a catalogue of errors and apparent loss of confidence as they did last Saturday in suffering a record home defeat in the league.

After a bright start to the season, Doug Howlett for one may have scored his first try in eight games from Paul Warwick's cross-kick but he appears badly in need of a long-ranger to restore his confidence.

In two weeks Munster face a pivotal game in their season against an improving Sale who, along with London Irish, are probably the current form team in England. That said, there was something slightly freakish about the way the scores and the game unfolded last Saturday, and history has shown us that nobody rebounds better from defeats than Munster.

Leinster's win in Ravenhill (Ulster's only loss in their last six outings) looks even more creditable now and ultimately they came within one dropped pass (and an earlier foot in touch) of a bonus-point win from a scrappy game against Connacht. Yet something still seems missing and for all his flair and all-round ability, one wonders if Isa Nacewa is the kind of game-controlling outhalf they are looking for.

The overall levelling of standards has been to make the league significantly more competitive. At the halfway point Ulster, in seventh place, lie just seven points behind the leaders, the Ospreys, with just 16 points covering the entire table of 10 teams.

It is continuing a trend which, at the comparative point last season, saw nine points cover the top seven sides, with Connacht 17 points behind the then leaders, Leinster. In the previous seasons, those halfway points spreads were 12, 14 and 18 covering the top seven, and 17, 22 and 23 points separated first and 10th.

The Magners League is probably now harder to win than ever before. Helped by new or improved stadiums and improved marketing, almost 130,000 people attended the 10 different venues over the two festive rounds, contributing to an overall 33 per cent increase in attendances so far this season.

So let's hear it for the league then. Maybe it's gradually getting there.