PRO12 round-up: Ulster upset leaders Connacht

Guinness PRO12

PRO12 round-up: Ulster upset leaders Connacht

ESPN Staff

April 1, 2016

© Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

Ulster got back to winning ways with a hard-fought 18-10 victory over Guinness PRO12 leaders Connacht to move up to fourth place and breathe life into their bid to make the play-offs.

Tries from skipper Rory Best -- on his return to Ulster from Six Nations duty -- and Craig Gilroy got Ulster over the line to halt a slide which had seen them lose three of their last four matches.

Paddy Jackson kicked a conversion and two penalties while Connacht, who have not won in Belfast since 1960, failed to get a losing bonus point despite scoring a second-half try from Caolin Blade along with a conversion and first-half penalty from O'Leary.

Even though the game was played in difficult conditions after a day of driving rain, Ulster's relief at winning will be tempered with disappointment that they failed to make more of playing part of the second half against 13 men following the yellow cards shown to Shane O'Leary and Sean O'Brien.

Les Kiss' side also worryingly lost centre Stuart McCloskey to an arm injury in the second half which also saw them lose Andrew Trimble to the bin.

Taulupe Faletau played his final game at Rodney Parade for Newport Gwent Dragons before a big-money summer move to Bath -- but the Ospreys spoilt his farewell party with a 26-20 victory.

Wales national coach Warren Gatland and assistant Rob Howley were keen observers as international scrum-half Rhys Webb had a storming game, scoring one of his side's tries with others coming via wing Jeff Hassler, full-back Dan Evans and flanker Sam Underhill.

Fly-half Dan Biggar added two conversions in the bonus point Guinness PRO12 victory, which ended 26-20 in the visitors' favour.

But the Welsh coaching duo would also have been impressed by home wing Hallam Amos, who grabbed two of the Dragons' tries to add to a try, conversion and penalty from fullback Carl Meyer.

A scrappy bonus point win moved Edinburgh ahead of Glasgow in the push for the Scottish spot in next season's Champions Cup. Zebre have still to win a match in Scotland and have now played 247 minutes without scoring after Friday's 29-0 Guinness PRO12 defeat.

© ESPN Staff

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PRO12 round-up: Ulster upset leaders Connacht