Connacht get pipped, Ulster win, Scotstoun groundsman look away, and Munster have a bad day at the office.

 

 Matt Healy ( picture http://bit.ly/1NDf9fW )

Connacht didn’t manage to get an away win in Cardiff, but they were close. They have the ball handling skills that are the envy of the other Irish sides, and don’t have any fear. Sometimes, a little bit more structure would suit them – there can be lot of passing , but very little ground made. You need to suck in a few defenders before you can play it loose again. Cardiff were good value for their win, but it was close all the way up until the end. Where the Blues did struggle a bit was with tackling – they couldn’t catch hold of Bundee Aki at all, and Matt Healy seemed to have smeared himself in grease before the match, he would not just stay tackled! I hope someone in the IRFU is keeping an eye on his contract.

Ulster got back to winning ways at home, putting Edinburgh away.

Then in Scotstoun, the Glasgow Leinster match  match was called off because of a waterlogged pitch. Now, I was expecting that perhaps one corner was too soggy, and the pitch was unplayable. Meanwhile, the pitch looked like a swimming pool! They could have brought their speedos and had a gala! In Glasgow, you’d think they might expect to have a drop of rain from time to time, like all day every day! That leaves Leinster with no warm up for Toulon. But, maybe it’s not the worst thing, a good few of the Leinster players could do with a break, we don’t have any more injuries, and they won’t need any motivation for Toulon.

Finally, Munster had a bad day at the office slipping up at the Dragons. They butchered not one, but two tries, that would have put them in control of the match. I’m sure there are few people wondering why Ashton Hewitt wasn’t yellow carded for tackling Ronan O’Mahony in the air, me included which would have helped too. The Dragons were battling but not particularly threatening, but the days of send in second string sides there looks to be over.

Friday, December 4
Cardiff Blues 20 - 16    Connacht
Ulster 14 - 7    Edinburgh
Saturday, December 5
Benetton Treviso 20 - 22    Scarlets
Glasgow Warriors 0 - 0    Leinster
Sunday, December 6
Zebre 22 - 39    Ospreys
Dragons 22 - 6    Munster