Edinburgh’s 62-13 bonus point victory over Connacht on Friday night, coupled with Glasgow Warrior’s 19-11 win against Scarlets Sunday evening, mean that at the end of round 2, for the first time ever, Scottish teams hold the top two places in the Magners League table. A Scottish side has not topped the table since Edinburgh did so at the end of September 2005.
The two teams also have the only remaining 100 per cent records, with 2 victories from 2 played, whilst Edinburgh’s eight tries on Friday night earned them the Magners League’s first try bonus point of the season.
Reigning Magners League Champions, Munster, recorded their first victory of the new season over Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park – keeping up the record that no Welsh team has won at the ground since March 2004.
Leinster also saved the first victory of their 2009/10 campaign for a home game, beating Newport Gwent Dragons 23-14. They have not lost at the RDS for almost 12 months.
The remaining Irish Province, Ulster, turned all the forecasts on their head when they defeated Ospreys 16-20 at the Liberty Stadium, ending a run of 15 successive games in Wales without a victory.
Despite their defeat the Ospreys leapfrog the Dragons to become the highest placed Welsh region. The Dragons slipped from first to fifth, one place behind their rivals from West Wales but two places above the Scarlets.
The Blues are the only Welsh side who remain winless so far this term, and after a shaky pre season, will be looking to reverse a worrying trend of form that has seen them lose their last four matches in this competition. In fact, their last victory came over Munster with a 20-12 win at the Arms Park way back in May.
ROUND 2 RESULTS
Friday 11 September 2009 at Thomond Park
Munster (16) 24: Marcus Horan(T) Denis Leamy(T) Jeremy Manning(C/4P)
Cardiff Blues (10) 13: Ben Blair(C/2P) Xavier Rush(T)
Attendance: 15000
Friday 11 September 2009 at Murrayfield
Edinburgh Rugby (20) 62: Ben Cairns(T) Roddy Grant(T) Alan MacDonald(T) Mark Robertson(2T) Allister Hogg(T) Chris Paterson(T/8C/2P) Andrew Turnbull(T)
Connacht (6) 13: Fionn Carr(T) Ian Keatley(2P) Miah Nikora(C)
Attendance: 3042
Saturday 12 September 2009 at Royal Dublin Society
Leinster (9) 23: Shaun Berne(2D) Jonathan Sexton(4P) Isa Nacewa(T)
Newport Gwent Dragons (6) 14: James Arlidge(D/2P) Martyn Thomas(T)
Attendance: 15145
Saturday 12 September 2009 at Liberty Stadium
Ospreys (13) 16: James Hook(2P) Duncan Jones(T) Nikki Walker(T)
Ulster (15) 20: Dan Tuohy(T) Ian Humphreys(C/P) Simon Danielli(2T)
Attendance: 7072
Sunday 13 September 2009 at Firhill Arena
Glasgow Warriors (7) 19: Rob Dewey(T) Dan Parks(C/D/3P)
Scarlets (8) 11: Rhys Priestland(2P) Daniel Evans(T)
Attendance: 2582
