Celtic League Reflection

The Neath Swansea Ospreys have opened a ten point gap at the top of the league after their 11-3 win over Leinster in a hard fought battle at St Helen’s on Friday night.

The Neath Swansea Ospreys have opened a ten point gap at the top of the league after their 11-3 win over Leinster in a hard fought battle at St Helen’s on Friday night.

Defeat for the Irish Province sees them replaced in second place by the Dragons who were winners over The Borders at Netherdale also on Friday night, whilst Munster move into fourth following their thumping win over Cardiff Blues on Saturday.

Elsewhere Glasgow Rugby’s bonus point victory over Ulster, with 24 points from stand off Dan Parks, saw them rise three places propelling them to mid table, and Edinburgh Rugby’s rare away win means the Ulstermen sink to penultimate place in the league.

The Borders, with their unwelcome record of played six, lost six, still prop up the foot of the table, but again there was much to hearten with their display, and they would have at least grabbed a losing bonus point had they not conceded a converted try deep into injury time.

There is now a three week break whilst the Celtic teams make their assault on Europe. Hostilities will be reconvened on 5 November with three rip roaring local derbies. See you then!

RESULTS ROUNDUP:

FRIDAY 15 OCTOBER

THE BORDERS (3)6 THE DRAGONS (7)14 THE OSPREYS (6)11 LEINSTER (0)3 SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER

CONNACHT (17)24 EDINBURGH RUGBY (14)35 GLASGOW RUGBY (14)34 ULSTER (10)20 MUNSTER (19)49 CARDIFF BLUES (15)18

HIGHLIGHTS AND SNIPPETS:

Munster and Cardiff Blues combined to score the most points in a Celtic League match this season, the 67 points scored on Saturday evening at Thomond Park surpassing the 63 scored in the Leinster-Borders clash at Donnybrook on 24 September.

Dan Parks, with 24 points against Ulster, broke the Glasgow Rugby record for the most points scored in a Celtic League match previously held by Tommy Hayes with 22 points against Bridgend in September 2002.

David Humphreys has now raised his tally of Celtic League career points to 350 in 26 matches – he is now 75 points behind the current all-time leader Gavin Henson.

There were Celtic League debuts this week for Musnter’s Paul Devlin and the Borders Drew Moore. Devlin became only the third Munsterman to score a try on his debut in the competition after David Wallace and John O’Neill.

Of the 24 teams in the European Cup only Neath-Swansea Ospreys and Treviso have 100% winning records in all the respective domestic competitions. However, the Ospreys are the only side yet to have conceded a single league point whilst helping themselves to 32 in the process.

NEXT CELTIC LEAGUE ACTION:

Friday 5 November Newport Gwent Dragons v Neath-Swansea Ospreys (Rodney Parade, 7.05pm, BBC Wales)

Glasgow Rugby v The Borders (Hughenden, 7.30pm) Leinster v Connacht (Donnybrook, 7.30pm)

Saturday 6 November Ulster v Munster (Ravenhill, 5.15pm, Setanta Ireland)

Sunday 7 November Cardiff Blues v Llanelli Scarlets (Arms Park, 3pm, S4C)

Bye Week Edinburgh Rugby