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Leinster edged Cardiff Blues 22-21 to stay top of the Pro12 on Saturday after direct rivals Munster thrashed Zebre 50-14.
The hosts were in front four minutes in at the RDS Arena, Dan Leavy touching down after getting on the end of Noel Reid’s grubber and Ross Byrne converting.
Tomos Williams responded for Cardiff, racing over the line after smart offloads from Blaine Scully and then Rey Lee-Lo.
Luke McGrath found the gap to score Leinster’s second seven minutes before the break, the hosts going in 14-7 at half-time.
Kristian Dacey’s run allowed Williams to claim his and Cardiff’s second soon after the resumption, and Sion Bennett from the bench also produced a great solo effort to earn the visitors a 21-7 lead.
But Leinster had the last word, lock Ross Molony powering over with 13 minutes to go to seal the win and secure his team’s place at the top of the table.
#GUINNESSPRO12 Full time score from the RDS #LEIvCBL pic.twitter.com/NRLxKeVKK3
— PRO12RUGBY (@PRO12rugby) March 25, 2017
Munster are second, two points behind the leaders, after romping to a dominant victory at Zebre.
Ronan O’Mahony and James Cronin scored two tries apiece and there were singles for Tommy O’Donnell and brothers Niall and Rory Scannell.
#GUINNESSPRO12 Full time score from Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi #ZEBvMUN pic.twitter.com/NxkvhIq9Bp
— PRO12RUGBY (@PRO12rugby) March 25, 2017
Later, third-placed Ospreys slipped up in their attempt to keep pace with the top two, going down 13-5 at second-from-bottom Treviso. Alberto Sgarbi crossed early to open the scoring for the hosts, Keelan Giles responding for Ospreys in first-half stoppage time.
But Tito Tebaldi and Ian McKinley kicked the Italian side clear after the break to notch only their third win of the campaign.
In the other match on Saturday, Glasgow Warriors survived the sending off of Tim Swinson in the 66th minute for leading with the shoulder to beat Connacht 35-24; Corey Flynn, Ali Price and Sean Lamont the try-scorers for the home team.
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