The festive season served up another weekend of enticing Guinness PRO14 action as derbies continued to be the talk of the town. Darcy Graham was the Edinburgh hero in Scotland while Hame Faiva led Benetton to glory in Treviso – if you missed it, here’s how things went down. Edinburgh 29-19 Glasgow Warriors If there wasn’t already enough to enjoy during the festive period, Scottish crowds were treated to their biggest feast yet as Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors battled out a fiercely contested 1872 Cup encounter which proved to be one of the best matches in its history. A record crowd watched on from the BT Murrayfield stands as Darcy Graham and Henry Pyrgos crossed for tries but the pendulum swung back and forth in Glasgow’s favour as the visitors led 19-17 with ten minutes to go. 😁😁😁Derby day winners.#EDIvGLA | @PRO14Official pic.twitter.com/E9aUQxqMb1— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) December 29, 2019 But it was that man Graham who emerged again at the death, sealing it with a searing late charge down the right to make it a very Happy New Year for the Edinburgh masses who now sit one point behind Munster in second in Conference B. Benetton 36-25 Zebre It wasn’t just in Scotland where derbies were producing plenty of action as Kieran Crowley’s Benetton fought back from an early red card to end the year with a six-try win over Zebre. It looked they might close out 2019 on a low point when Nacho Brex saw red early in the first half, but Benetton upped a gear in pursuit of a double over their Italian rivals. And it was Hame Faiva who was at the heart of all the action, the hooker dotting down three times with Monty Ioane, Ian Keatley and Enjel Makalara joining in on the try-scoring fun. David Sisi scored on 72 minutes to rescue a four-try bonus point for Zebre, but it wasn’t enough as their Italian rivals ran out 36-25 winners. #BENvZEB | 📸 FAMILY PHOTO POST DERBY 😍💥🥳 pic.twitter.com/Gj5mLLIxEp— Benetton Rugby 🦁 (@BenettonRugby) December 28, 2019 Munster 6-13 Leinster Leinster go into the New Year with their unbeaten Guinness PRO14 record intact – but that doesn’t mean they haven’t been made to work for it. ALL OVER! What a defensive performance in that second half from the lads. Ed Byrne's first half try and eight points from Ross proves to be enough. #MUNvLEI #JoinTheRoar pic.twitter.com/jF8ZCTyByz— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) December 28, 2019 Ed Byrne’s try and eight points from Ross Byrne’s boot put them ahead, but Leo Cullen’s defence was forced to stand strong to keep their line unbreached and run out 13-6 winners away from home against Munster. Two JJ Hanrahan penalties were all Johann van Graan’s side could muster as the men from Dublin smothered their attacks to make it nine from nine domestically. Ulster 35-3 Connacht Friday saw just two Guinness PRO14 sides in action and it was Ulster who came out on top over Irish visitors Connacht. Having lost to Leinster last time out, Dan McFarland’s Ulster looked to possess a new lease of life in Friday night’s clash under the lights, storming to an impressive five-try victory. First-half tries for Alan O’Connor and Billy Burns were added to after the break by Rob Baloucoune, Rob Herring and Nick Timoney to keep the festive cheer going at Kingspan, Conor Fitzgerald’s early penalty proving nothing but a consolation for the visitors. Friday nights at a sold out @KingspanStadium 🙌#SUFTUM pic.twitter.com/9rLjozeKkx— Ulster Rugby (@UlsterRugby) December 28, 2019 Cardiff Blues 16-12 Dragons In Wales, Blues made it four straight Guinness PRO14 victories with a narrow win over the Dragons in a fiercely-contested Boxing Day battle at Cardiff Arms Park. Shane Lewis Hughes gave Cardiff an early lead, with Jarrod Evans kicking the conversion and then a penalty, but Taine Basham and Matthew Screech hit back either side of half-time to bring the Dragons back into contention. That winning feeling hey @JoshTurn6ull pic.twitter.com/EHjb9yDhzm— Cardiff Blues (@cardiffblues) href=“https://twitter.com/cardiffblues/status/1210258973988921351?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>December 26, 2019 But it was the Blues – who beat Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium last time out – who prevailed to their second derby victory in as many weeks thanks to penalty kicks from Evans and Jason Tovey. Scarlets 44-0 Ospreys Elsewhere, doubles from Steffan Evans and Ryan Conbeer steered Scarlets to a dominant victory over Ospreys on Boxing Day. Josh Macleod and substitute Kieran Hardy also joined in on the try-scoring fun, with ten points from the boot of Leigh Halfpenny putting the victory beyond doubt. The win moves them up to third in Conference B, while Ospreys missing a whole host of players to injury, remain on only one win and seventh in Conference A. Morning @scarletsrugby fans. How are you feeling? pic.twitter.com/MMmpybV41W— Scarlets Rugby (@scarletsrugby) December 27, 2019
