That Leinster bounced back from their first defeat in 27 Guinness PRO14 this weekend wasn’t so surprising but what might ultimately prove significant in the battle for a place in the final could be the crucial bonus point they grabbed against Ulster.
Leinster, after trailing at halftime, came back strongly against the Conference A log leaders at the RDS Arena in Dublin to eventually control the game en route to a 12-point victory. However, Ulster was still in the game, on the scoreboard at least, going into the final minutes, which was when Leinster scored their fourth try and clinched the game.
Not only that, but the bonus point try put the winners more than seven ahead of Ulster, thus denying them a losing bonus point, effectively meaning that Leinster have made up five of the 10 points they trailed by going into the top of the conference derby. With Leinster having two games in hand, that effectively means they are in the pound seats now that Ulster has lost their unbeaten record.
What still makes it interesting is that Leinster gets to travel to Belfast to play Ulster before the league phase of the Championship is completed. Ulster will be tougher at the Kingspan Stadium and provided everything goes well for them between now and then, they could still find themselves playing for the top spot in the Conference, but the log points they surrendered to Leinster towards the end will make it much harder for them in their quest to stay ahead.
In this abbreviated season of PRO14, the top two teams advance straight to the final, and at this point, because of the effective two log point swing when the bonus point scenario was decided in the final minutes at the weekend, you’d back Leinster to be in the decider. Munster will almost certainly be their opponents, and Johan van Graan’s men could play a role in determining who their opponents are, as they also have a clash with Leinster in their future.
The scheduled clash between the two traditional rivals was postponed a couple of weeks ago because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the Leinster camp. Munster, who beat Connacht at the weekend in a significant step towards ending the top of Conference B, were eagerly awaiting that game and will be confident they can cause an upset.
In bouncing back from the previous week's defeat Leinster served notice against Ulster though that they are still the same Leinster that has dominated the competition in recent years, with three second-half tries in a dominant second half putting paid to Ulster’s unbeaten run. Fullback Hugo Kiernan was adjudged the best player in a game in which Ulster’s South African loose-forward Marcell Coetzee also excelled.
Munster started their game against second-placed Connacht eight log points ahead of the team that played giant-slayer against Leinster the previous week and with third-placed Scarlets losing to Cardiff Blues this weekend, Munster’s advantage at the top is now a significant one that is unlikely to be closed.
Munster’s Chris Farrell scored the only try of the first half and with the two flyhalves trading penalties, the hosts took a 10-3 lead to the break. JJ Hanrahan kicked two further penalties after halftime to put Munster 16-3 ahead but that comfort was ruined by a late Connacht try scored by Peter Sullivan that forced Munster to hold on in the dying minutes.
The other significant result from round 11 was the Cardiff Blues win as it pegs back what was an already faltering challenge from Scarlets. The scheduled return Scottish derby between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh was postponed on Friday due to a frozen pitch.
Weekend Guinness PRO14 results
Leinster 24-12 Ulster
Zebre 22-18 Benetton
Dragons 20-28 Ospreys
Connacht 10-6 Munster
Cardiff Blues 29-20 Scarlets
Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh postponed due to frozen pitch