Leinster spoil Best return as Treviso stun Cheetahs

Rory Best’s Ulster return was spoiled as Leinster claimed an emphatic victory in a battle of Pro14 Group B heavyweights.

Captain Best made his comeback from an ankle injury that had kept him out since the start of December, but Ulster never looked like marking it with a victory as Leinster ran out 38-7 winners.

Doubles from Jordan Larmour, and Fergus McFadden and tries from Barry Daly and Johnny Sexton ensured a bonus-point victory for second-placed Leinster, who are now 11 points ahead of third-placed Ulster.

Treviso shocked Cheetahs with a 27-21 win that marked the Italian side’s sixth Pro14 win of the season. The South Africans, who had Torsten van Jaarsveld and Shaun Venter sin-binned in the second half, suffering defeat as Epalahame Faiva’s second try 12 minutes from time settled the contest.

It was another fine display from Jordan Larmour for @leinsterrugby against @UlsterRugby

Jordan receives the man of the match award from Jenny Gleeson #GUINNESSPRO14 pic.twitter.com/WGbxOPBgyf

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) January 6, 2018

Runaway Group A leaders Glasgow Warriors easily beat Zebre 40-20, Matt Fagerson scoring the first of their six tries in the week his brother and team-mate Zander was ruled out for eight weeks.

Munster, second in Group A ahead of Cheetahs, responded to successive defeats in style by crushing Connacht 39-13, running in five tries including a Conor Murray double.

Elsewhere, Ospreys held off a late rally from Cardiff Blues in which they scored two converted tries in the last 10 minutes to record a narrow 29-28 victory over their Welsh rivals.