**Leinster claimed the Guinness PRO14 title in last month’s final having earned their place in the showpiece by topping Conference A.** They were pushed most of the way by Ulster as the Dubliners failed to repeat last term’s remarkable unbeaten campaign. There was also a fierce battle for the top three, with the Ospreys edging Glasgow Warriors and the Dragons as the best of the rest. Here, we take a look at how Conference A unfolded over the course of the season. **October** Leinster – chasing a fourth consecutive crown and an eighth overall - kicked off their campaign with a pair of convincing home victories over the Dragons and Zebre, either side of a slightly more challenging 37-25 win at Benetton. Ulster set up their season nicely with a win against the Ospreys in Swansea sandwiched between home triumphs over Benetton and the Dragons as the Irish provinces laid down an early marker to their conference rivals.
