Heading to Donnybrook this afternoon for Leinster A’s clash with Jersey, where the home side definitely need all five points to set up a pool decider with Pontypridd in January. Head on down if you can, it’s free in for Leinster season ticket holders, kickoff 2:30pm.
Congrats to Connacht Eagles who scored their first-ever competitive win triumphing 31-16 over last season’s finalists Cross Keys. Pity the Welsh side’s tweeter wasn’t a better sport about the result.
The Ulster Ravens scored an easy victory in Cardiff, setting up a clash with Bristol in January that is virtually winner-take-all.
Finally the weekend began for the provincial A sides with Munster being held 9-9 by the Rotherham Titans (who much like the trucking company of the same name are "really going places" now), a result that keeps the pool alive with both the Titans and their fellow Championship side Plymouth Albion only four points behind the cup holders with two to play.
POOL ONE – ULSTER RAVENS
14 December Bristol 41-3 Bridgend
15 December Cardiff 7-34 Ulster Ravens
11 January Ulster Ravens v Bristol 19:30
POOL FOUR – CONNACHT EAGLES
15 December Connacht v Cross Keys
16 December Newport v Newcastle 15:00
12 January Newcastle v Connacht Eagles 15:00
POOL FIVE – LEINSTER “A”
15 December Pontypridd v Leeds Carnegie, 14:30
16 December Leinster A v Jersey, 14:30
15: Cathal Marsh 14: Adam Byrne 13: Eoin O'Malley 12: Brendan Macken 11: Fionn Carr 10: Noel Reid 9: John Cooney 1: Jack McGrath CAPTAIN 2: Aaron Dundon 3: Jamie Hagan 4: Ben Marshal 5: Tom Denton 6: Rhys Ruddock 7: Dominic Ryan 8: Leo Auva'a
REPLACEMENTS: 16: Thomas Sexton 17: Jack O'Connell 18: Tadhg Beirne 19: Conor Gilsenan 20: Luke McGrath 21: Jordan Coghlan 22: Steve Crosbie
POOL SEVEN – MUNSTER “A”
14 December Munster 9-9 Rotherham Titans Plymouth Albion 59-0 Aberavon
12 January Aberavon v Munster A 14:30
