Connacht upset the champions

 

The Galway side had lost their last 11 all-Ireland clashes, but overturned a 9-3 half-time deficit to maintain their 100 percent start to the PRO12 season and leave the champions dumbstruck.

 

Connacht made just one change to their starting XV, lock Aly Muldowney coming into the second row in place of Mick Kearney, while Leinster handed starts to Fergus McFadden and Rhys Ruddock.

 

Home fans at the Sportsground saw their side start nervously and must have been fearing the worst.

 

Meanwhile, Ireland wing Simon Zebo scored a stunning first-half hat-trick as Munster finally ended their Thomond Park hoodoo with a 31-5 victory over Zebre.

 

Zebo's treble took his tally to four tries for the season, the same number he managed the whole of last term, as he looks to recapture the form that saw him included in the British & Irish Lions squad for their victorious 2013 tour to Australia.

 

Munster were without a PRO12 win in front of their own supporters since March, but claimed victory against injury-hit Zebre, running in five tries on a dominant evening, with the Italians still yet to taste a win over an Irish province.

 

Anthony Foley made seven changes to his starting line-up, with Paul O'Connell and Conor Murray among those introduced to the Munster team in the hope of changing their fortunes.

 

They were made to be patient in the early exchanges, but the Zebre defence succumbed 15 minutes into the first-half, with Andrew Smith feeding Zebo to touch down.

 

Finally, Dan Tuohy's third try in as many games and Ian Humphreys' late score helped Ulster secure a 26-9 victory over Cardiff Blues in the PRO12 at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park.

 

The Irish province remain unbeaten in this year's competition, following an opening day draw with Scarlets and a clinical win against Zebre with an impressive defensive performance that gradually wore the Blues down.

 

A kicking duel between Blues full-back Rhys Patchell and flyhalf Paddy Jackson, making his first appearance for Ulster this season, gave the visitors a narrow 12-9 lead after a tight first half.

 

 

 

 

Try: Marmion 

Con: Carty 

Pen: Carty 

 

Pens: Madigan 3

 

Connacht: 15 Darragh Leader, 14 Niyi Adeolokun, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Danie Poolman, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Willie Faloon, 6 John Muldoon (captain), 5 Quinn Roux, 4 Aly Muldowney, 3 Nathan White, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckley.

Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Rodney Ah You, 19 Mick Kearney, 20 George Naoupu, 21 Ian Porter, 22 Craig Ronaldson, 23 Matt Healy.

 

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Brendan Macken, 12 Ian Madigan, 11 Darragh Fanning, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jamie Heaslip (captain), 7 Dominic Ryan, 6 Rhys Ruddock, 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Jack McGrath.

Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Tom Denton, 20 Shane Jennings, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Gordon D'Arcy, 23 Mick McGrath.

 

 

 

Tries: Zebo 3, Smith, Kilcoyne

Cons: Hanrahan 3

 

Try: Vunisa

 

 

Munster: 15 Felix Jones (captain), 14 Ronan O'Mahony, 13 Andrew Smith, 12 Denis Hurley, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Johnny Holland, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Robin Copeland, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 6 Paddy Butler, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Billy Holland, 3 BJ Botha, 2 Duncan Casey, 1 James Cronin.

Replacements: 16 Kevin O'Byrne, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 John Ryan, 19 Donncha O'Callaghan, 20 Sean Dougall, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Johne Murphy.

 

Zebre: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 David Odiete, 13 Giulio Bisegni, 12 Kelly Haimona, 11 Giulio Toniolatti, 10 Edoardo Padovani, 9 Guglielmo Palazzani, 8 Samuela Vunisa, 7 Filippo Cristiano, 6 Mauro Bergamasco, 5 George Biagi, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys (captain), 3 Luciano Leibson 2 Andrea Manici, 1 Andrea Lovotti.

Replacements: 16 Oliviero Fabiani, 17 Andrea De Marchi, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Valerio Bernabò, 21 Andries Ferreira, 21 Alberto Chillon, 22 Gonzalo Garcia, 23 Mirco Bergamasco.

 

 

 

Pens: Patchell

 

Tries: Tuohy, Humphreys 

Cons: Jackson, Humphreys 

Pens: Jackson 4

 

Cardiff Blues: 15 Rhys Patchell, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Adam Thomas, 12 Gavin Evans, 11 Richard Smith, 10 Gareth Davies, 9 Lewis Jones, 8 Manoa Vosawai, 7 Josh Navidi, 6 Josh Turnbull, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Matthew Rees (c), 1 Sam Hobbs.

Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Taufa'ao Filise, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Macauley Cook, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Cory Allen, 23 Geraint Walsh.

 

Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Tommy Bowe, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Paul Marshall, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Robbie Diack, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Dan Tuohy, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rory Best (c), 1 Andrew Warwick.

Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Callum Black, 18 Bronson Ross, 19 Neil McComb, 20 Roger Wilson, 21 Michael Heaney, 22 Ian Humphreys, 23 Craig Gilroy.