Magners League Week One Round-Up

Champions Ulster got off to a winning start in the inaugural Magners League, with ageless fly-half David Humphreys scoring a personal haul of 21 points and creating a try for teammate Paul Steinmetz as the Ravenhill men downed Llanelli Scarlets 31-16.  Ulster dealt better with the loss of their summer tourists than Munster, who travelled to Cardiff and lost 22-13.  Chris Czekaj and Scott Morgan crossed for the Blues, who took advantage of the absence of ten Irish internationals from the Munster line-up.

Connacht, with six consecutive home games to come, won away at Borders on Friday night, easily outpointing the home side 29-15.  A decent run of results in those home games could put them in contention for an impressively high league placing.  Glasgow, also at home, continued the weekend's theme of poor Scottish performances, spurning a 20-point lead to lose 24-23 to the Dragons.  The seal was put on a bad weekend for Scottish teams as Edinburgh lost away to the Ospreys, 17-11.  Lee Byrne marked his debut for the Ospreys with the crucial try.