Scarlets overwhelmed by rampant Munster

Doug Howlett scampered over for a try and the home pack also earned a penalty try as Munster took a 20-9 lead into the break.

Four penalties from Dan Newton and a monster effort from debutant Dale Ford kept the Scarlets in contention.

But the Munster bench had a considerable say in the closing stages, with replacements Duncan Williams and Tommy O’Donnell helping themselves to tries.

Peter Horne came off the bench to score a crucial second-half try as Glasgow Warriors won 23-19 away to Leinster for the first time.

Leinster’s 28-match winning streak in regular-season games at the RDS was brought to an end, despite the province enjoying the majority of possession and plenty of time in the visitors’ 22.

The hosts’ attack was well off its best in a below-par display with lock Nick Campbell, who touched down for a first-half try, and place-kickers Scott Wight and Duncan Weir completed the Scottish side’s scoring.

Newport Gwent Dragons recorded their first RaboDirect league win of the season when they beat Aironi 23-14 at a rain-lashed Rodney Parade this evening.

The Dragons have five Wales players in New Zealand themselves but they coped with their absentees better than the visitors to get their campaign up and running.

Both teams headed into the game on the back of two defeats but it was the Dragons, playing in front of their new £4m stand for the first time, that prevailed.

The Dragons crossed for two tries to one but were made to sweat on the win by the determined Italians, who were within a score of their hosts in the closing stages.

It is a defeat that leaves Aironi, who have 10 players on World Cup duty with Italy, still searching for their first away win since joining the Celtic League.

Ospreys came away from their trip to Treviso in good mood after a hard-fought 32-27 victory.