Round-up: Leinster shrug off absence of O'Driscoll to overtake spirited Ulster

(REUTERS)

Leinster flanker Shane Jennings called for "concentration" before "an exciting few weeks ahead", as his side extended their unbeaten home run of 25 games with a fine 34-26 victory over Ulster on Saturday, leapfrogging their Irish counterparts into second place of the Magners League, despite missing Brian O'Driscoll.

The pre-match stats looked ominous for Ulster, who have not won in Dublin since the League's inception in 2001-02 and they went behind after just one minute, Richardt Strauss crashing over after a Jonathan Sexton diagonal kick.

Sexton proved pivotal in a rampant first half for the Dubliners, creating an opening for Luke Fitzgerald to score. Leinster led 17-3 inside 13 minutes and had their bonus point secured before half-time with further tries from Shane Horgan and Heinke van der Merwe. Ulster produced a spirited response in the second half, scoring two tries, and came within one point of a bonus point but never put the result in doubt.

The Scarlets coach, Nigel Davies, questioned his side's lack of "winning mentality" after a 13-6 defeat to league leaders Munster, Simon Zebo capitalising on a Regan King mistake to score the only try of the game for the Irish side. With the game in the balance at 6-6, King lost the ball in contact and Zebo pounced to fly-hack downfield and over the line to put daylight between the sides. The result leaves Llanelli six points adrift of fourth-placed Ospreys in their bid to make the play-offs.

Glasgow slipped to second-bottom after narrowly going down 19-16 to fellow strugglers Treviso, who climbed above them into 10th. After a tight first half that ended 6-6, Treviso scored through Robert Barbieri, capitalising after the Warriors prop Ryan Grant was sent to the sin bin for a stamp. Glasgow hit back with a try from captain Graeme Morrison but a 40-yard drop-goal for the Italian side from Willem de Waal proved decisive.