Leinster crush Connacht in Galway, Glasgow go top

URC round 5 began on Friday, the last round before the November Tests.

Twenty-five players were missing through international duty and injury, but Leinster showed no sign of it. At Dexcom Stadium, where they have not lost since 2018, the champions handed Connacht a 50-5 defeat, their 14th straight win over their Irish neighbours.

Carbery on 20 points, seven tries

Gus McCarthy (15th), Jordan Larmour (24th) and Todd Lawlor (31st) put Leinster 21-5 up, with only David Heffernan replying for Connacht (27th). Max Deegan brought the bonus point in the 51st minute, then Joey Carbery, Ciaran Mangan and Fintan Gunne ran riot. Carbery finished with 20 points: a try, six conversions and a penalty.

Beaten in their first two games by the Lions and the Sharks, Leinster have now won three in a row and sit provisionally 3rd, behind Edinburgh, who have a game in hand.

Glasgow hold on, just

Glasgow found it harder. Without 11 Scotland internationals, the Warriors led 19-3 at half-time through Fergus Watson, Dan Lancaster and debutant Jack Singleton. The Lions hit back with three tries before Ollie Smith secured the bonus point. George Horne settled it with a penalty after the hooter (29-20), denying the South Africans a losing bonus point.

With four wins and a draw, Glasgow remain unbeaten on 23 points, pending Saturday’s games.