Leinster forfeit five-year Dublin reign
Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:34
Reigning champions Leinster's eight game home winning streak against fellow Irish provinces came to a halt this weekend - five years to the month of their last home loss.
Leinster went down 0-18 to Munster at the Royal Dublin Society on Sunday, bringing an end to five years' worth of successive Magners League home victories against their Irish counterparts - the last defeat also to Munster at Donnybrook in September 2003.
In other Magners feats from the weekend, Glasgow Warriors' Thom Evans grabbed a brace of tries in the 34-20 victory over Scarlets at Firhill Arena, the second successive home game he has secured two tries, having done the same against Ospreys on September 12.
Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe touched down for a try in his first outing against his old team when Ospreys hammered Ulster (43-0) at Liberty Stadium on Saturday. James Hook's 18-point haul in the same game makes him the top Magners League points scorer this season.
Cardiff Blue's record breaking 58-0 victory over Connacht became their best ever home win; their 46-0 lead at half-time was the biggest ever recorded in the Magners League, whilst the nine tries tallied equals the Magners League and their own Blues record for number of tries in a game.
Chris Paterson, presently the Magners League's best kicker, secured all of Edinburgh's points in the game against Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade on Friday.
Top Try Scorers:
5 - Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors)
4 - Keith Earls (Munster)
4 - Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster)
3 - James Hook (Ospreys)
3 - Doug Howlett (Munster)
3 - Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues)
3 - Mark Jones
(Scarlets)
3 - Morgan Stoddart (Scarlets)
Top Points Scorers:
61 - James Hook (Ospreys)
46 - Stephen Jones (Scarlets)
41 - Felipe Contepomi (Leinster)
36 - Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues)
33 - Chris Paterson (Edinburgh)
32 - Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors)
30 - James Arlidge (Newport Gwent Dragons)
26 - Ronan O'Gara (Munster)
25 - Thom Evans (Glasgow Warriors)
25 - Paul Warwick (Munster)
Best Kickers:
1. Chris Paterson (Edinburgh) 75%
2. James Arlidge (Newport Gwent Dragons) 73.33%
3. Ronan O'Gara (Munster) 73.33%
4. Felipe Contepomi (Leinster) 72.73%
5. James Hook (Ospreys) 72%
6. Stephen Jones (Scarlets) 66.67%
7. Ben Blair (Cardiff Blues) 66.67%
8. Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors) 50%
9. Clinton Schifcofske (Ulster) 41.67%
