Guinness PRO12
Dragons stun Leinster for famous win
ESPN Staff
February 15, 2015

Tom Prydie kicked the Newport Gwent Dragons to a famous victory as they handed Leinster their first defeat at the RDS since March 2013.

Prydie converted Pat Leach's 10th-minute try and booted three penalties, including the match winner with 11 minutes left, steering the Dragons to only their second win on Irish soil in 11 years. The 16-14 victory carries even more merit as the Welsh region had forwards Nick Crosswell and Rhys Thomas sin-binned in the first half. However, defending champions Leinster could only score two penalties to trail 10-6 at half-time.

Jimmy Gopperth's third successful strike made it a one-point game, but he was unable to convert Dave Kearney's try in the 66th minute and Prydie had the final say as the defending PRO12 champions dropped to fifth place in the table.

Glasgow Warriors climbed to the top of the Guinness PRO12 table with a 54-10 thrashing of Italian side Zebre.

The star of the show was Peter Horne, who scored two tries and kicked 10 further points in a dominant display. Horne seized on Niko Matawalu's quick penalty to open the scoring after only three minutes, converting his own try, and DTH van der Merwe grabbed a second with 15 minutes gone. Zebre closed to within four points as captain Filippo Cristiano charged down a Horne kick and picked up the loose ball to score what turned out to be his team's only try but Peter Murchie exploited poor defending to notch Glasgow's third just two minutes later.

The visitors' momentum was stalled briefly when Alex Allan was sent to the sin bin for repeatedly coming in from the side but they still added two further tries before half-time through Horne and Tim Swinson. At 33-10, Glasgow had already secured the bonus point, and things became scrappier after the break. Matawalu became the second Warrior to pick up a yellow card when he failed to retreat 10 yards but Glasgow finished with a flourish as they added three further tries in the final 16 minutes.

First debutant Fraser Lyle applied the finish after Van der Merwe was held up and Glasgow took advantage of Giulio Toniolatti's sin-binning to add further scores through Murchie and Will Bordill.

Scarlets sealed a crucial 32-14 bonus point win over Connacht as they attempt to seal an all-important top six place in the Guinness PRO12 table.

Carty's penalty gave Connacht an early 3-0 lead, before home No.8 John Barclay was sin-binned for dragging down a maul on his own line. Steve Shingler put over two penalties to give his side a 6-3 lead on 18 minutes before Scarlets scored three tries in the space of nine minutes.

First wing Michael Tagicakibau was put over in the left corner by Regan King. King was provider for the second try scored by Harry Robinson on the right, converted by Shingler, after captain Ken Owens had stolen Connacht line-out ball. The third try was a real body blow to Connacht who launched an encouraging attack only to see Jordan Williams run in an 80-yard interception score converted by Shingler.

At 25-3 down it was looking desperate for Connacht but they did have the final say of the half when Carty converted his second penalty with the final kick of the half. Connacht scored first after the break with Carty kicking a third penalty but from the restart Scarlets got their bonus point try. A drive from a line-out saw James Davies wriggle over. The Shingler conversion saw Scarlets lead 32-9. It then got worse for Connacht as they lost their skipper John Muldoon to the sin bin for stamping at a ruck on 55 minutes. But Niyi Adeolokun grabbed a consolation try seven minutes from the end.

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