Stormers 27 Munster 21
Munster looked to be coasting against the South Africans when leading by 14 points at the interval, but the stature of these Springbok sides at international level, is now also evident at club and province level too.
Stormers, who are now six for six in the victory columns, lived up to their name by staging an amazing come-back which saw the team score 13 points without reply to shock the big home following at Thomond Park on Sunday.
Lions man of the series and Munster skipper Tadhg Beirne gave his side an early tonic when he dotted down for the opening try.
Further tries from John Hodnett and outhalf Jack Crowley followed, giving the men in red a comfortable half-team lead.
The visitors used their strong bench to run their hosts ragged on the turnover as, like in the game against Ireland the previous week, they dominated at scrum time. This gave them the platform to open up the Munster rearguard
Dylan Maart and Ruhan Nel got over for tries and all had changed the complexion of the game.
Munster staged a late effort to wrestle back the lead on the scoreboard but they were fighting against an impenetrable wall and couldn’t get through.
Leinster 24; Dragons 10
Newcomer Joshua Kenny went over for a brace of second half tries as Leinster came from behind at the break to record a bonus point win away to the Dragons at Rodney Parade.
There was nothing much in this performance to reassure fans that the champions were back to their best. Indeed once more their discipline let them down as they endured playing with less numbers due to three yellow cards being brandished in their direction over the course of the game.
On top of all that, their handling and decision making was poor meaning they left several scores behind them, much to the annoyance of Head Coach Leo Cullen.
This win at least shows they now have three wins to their credit out of six - a 50 percent record alien to their recent track record of almost total domination.
Alex Soroka put the home team ahead after crossing for a try after four minutes. Leinster were then reduced to 14 after flanker Diarmuid Mangan was sin-binned on the 29-minute mark.
This allowed their forwards to increase their domination and it was no surprise when Matthew Screech increased the home lead a few minutes later.
Again like Ireland the previous week, Leinster were briefly reduced to 13 men when Scott Penny was sin-binned four minutes before the break but this time the interval came as Leinster avoided conceding further.
Kenny helped ignite the Leinster comeback by scoring his third try in as many games after delightful play from outhalf Harry Byrne and Ciaran Frawley gave him enough space to dot down in the right hand corner.
He then got in for his second - again in the corner to Springbok RG Snyman who showed invention by adopting an over the top pass to the winger.
Leinster had a stroke of luck that Penny wasn’t penalized for clearly not wrapping his arms around in a tackle, but rode that good fortune.
Although the Irish province were leading 17-10, the game was still in the melting pot until Snyman again produced a moment of magic by barging in for his side’s fourth try in the 78th minute after a great sideline run.
Even then there was torment for Leinster as Luje McGrath saw yellow for failing to retreat 10 meters but by then the game was over and it didn’t really matter.
Leinster now head into the Champions Cup at home to Harlequins this weekend with a “frustrated” Cullen hoping they will finally begin to fire on all cylinders.
Ulster 47 Benetton 13
Scoring 35 points in the second half, Ulster totally destroyed the resistance that Benetton had shown in the opening 40 minutes on Saturday.
A point behind at the break, the northern side needed a win particularly after their loss to the Lions before the international break.
Robert Baloucoune and Werner Kok tries, with the second one converted, should have been the perfect start but they were behind 13-12 at the break as Bautista Bernasconi got in for a try which Jacob Umaga converted before he also landed two penalties at the Affidea Stadium.
The second half had just begun when James Hume's converted try gave Ulster the impetus to kick on.
Kok and Baloucoune got in for their second tries, and with a penalty try in between and then Harry Sheridan touching down, the bonus point victory became a reality.
Connacht 47; Sharks 17
Connacht cruised to a 27-points win over the Durban Sharks, as they got over for five tries in Galway to claim their second victory of the season.
Sean Naughton drew first blood with an early penalty for Connacht, but then the Sharks mauled their way over for hooker Fez Mbatha to touched down an unconverted try.
Connacht came storming back and Paul Boyle’s converted try together with a second Naughton penalty saw the hosts lead by 13-5.
Chay Mullins’s converted try and another Naughton penalty saw Connacht go 23-5 at half-time before centre Hugh Gavin got in for his first try for the province, which Naughton once again converted.
Makazole Mapimpi unconverted touch down showed there was life in the visitors yet, but Connacht’s replacement scrum half Matthew Devine got in for his side’s fourth dot down of the day which saw the imperious Naughton add to with his fourth successful conversion.
Sharks sub Emile van Heerden got in for a second try, which was converted by Jordan Hendrikse.
However it was the men from the west who had the final say when prop Sam Illo touched down and guess who, yes, Sean Naughton again converted.
