Five rounds into the Guinness PRO14 and things are starting to take shape, with sides shuffling for position as the Conference tables begin to settle. Just one outfit can boast a perfect five-from-five record; two are still searching for their first wins of the campaign as another weekend of action brought with it a brand-new helping of thrills, spills and high drama. In case you missed anything on what was a truly bumper weekend of rugby, here’s a catch-up. Leinster on the run After flailing to a narrow win against 14-man Benetton in Round 1, and with international absentees aplenty, some predicted a tough start to the season for the reigning champions. But not so, as they chalked up their fifth win on the spin on Friday night, putting 50 points past the Dragons at the RDS Arena. Two tries apiece for Dave Kearney and James Lowe, Leo Cullen’s men once again showed their enviable strength in depth to go five points clear at the top of Conference A. Warriors hit half-century Leinster weren’t the only side to bring up the 50-point mark under the Friday night lights, as the resurgent Glasgow Warriors tallied a half-century without reply in downing the Isuzu Southern Kings. A big win for Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun 👊 pic.twitter.com/t4EYmVs5yc— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) November 1, 2019 In need of a win after notching up just one in their first four games of the season, Dave Rennie’s men duly delivered, with seven different try-scorers getting in on the act at Scotstoun. The return of their international stars certainly gave them a welcome bump, with Adam Hastings impressing as he returned with a flurry of high-quality kicking. Ulster keep the pace Leinster may well be forcing the issue early on in the Conference A table, but Ulster certainly aren’t letting their Irish rivals slip away from the pack without a fight. They notched up their fourth win in five, dispatching Zebre in clinical fashion in the third of the Friday night affairs. Scores from Dave Shanahan and Rob Lyttle settled the issue after the dogged Italians had taken an early lead through Mattia Bellini. Scarlets edge Cheetahs to underline fortress Another side making it four from five were the Scarlets, as they prevailed to stunt the flow of the Toyota Cheetahs on Saturday. In adverse weather, the hosts made the most of home comforts, taking it to the trenches as Steff Evans and Kieran Hardy gave them a lead that they would not relinquish before the break. Sgôr Terfynol | Final ScoreIt wasn't pretty, but that's four wins out five this season. Thanks to all the fans who braved the wind and rain to support the boys!Doedd hi ddim yn un pert ond mae'n fuddugoliaeth arall! Diolch i chi gyd am ddod i gefnogi!SCA 17 CHE 13 pic.twitter.com/8v6bZSncz5— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) November 2, 2019 The result means that they have now won 29 of their last 32 matches at Parc y Scarlets. Connacht on-song A tough trip to the Liberty Stadium, the impressive Connacht made things look routine as they ran out 20-10 victors against the Ospreys. Scores from Niyi Adeolukun and Peter Robb did the damage in the first half, with the boot of Conor Fitzgerald augmenting their control. They have now won four on the spin, ensuring that Conference B continues to shape up nicely. Benetton continue to find their feet Having struggled to three defeats to open up their campaign, Benetton seem now to have re-discovered the form that carried them to the play-offs last season. #BENvEDI | 📸 La gallery del successo biancoverde sull'Edimburgo👉https://t.co/kqzuDIrfEM pic.twitter.com/k46gzsGBuS— Benetton Rugby 🦁 (@BenettonRugby) November 3, 2019 They backed up their win over the Kings with a hard-fought triumph over a resolute Edinburgh Rugby side, winning 18-16 at the Stadio Comunale di Monigo. Jayden Hayward and Tomas Baravalle grabbed the tries, with Tommaso Allan sealing things with a second-half penalty. Munster lead the way While the Scarlets and Connacht have both made standout starts, it is Munster who sit atop the Conference B summit after five games. In the late one on Saturday evening, Alby Mathewson’s double helped the visitors to a 33-23 win at Cardiff Blues. And in what was an entertaining affair, the Red Army once again underlined their credentials as one of the Guinness PRO14’s sides to watch; their points-difference of 43 is good enough for only fifth-best across the two Conferences, but it is the wins tally that ultimately decides fate.
