URC Friendlies
THEO Cabango scored two tries as Cardiff beat Scarlets 21-12. In front of 4,289 fans, new head coach Matt Sherratt saw Cabango grab a first-half brace, including a solo effort from inside his own half.
Cabango finished the first at the posts following a break from new signing, fly-half Tinus de Beer, who converted. The speedster scored his second on 26 minutes after gathering a chip ahead and dancing his way to the line. De Beer again added the extras.
Cardiff 's third try of the game came on 54 minutes, a driving maul, scored by Wales international Ellis Jenkins and converted by replacement fly-half Arwel Robson.
Just before the break hooker Lewis Morgan touched down at the back of a driving maul for his first Scarlets try.
Scarlets scored a second try with four minutes left on the clock.
Attacking from inside their own 22, wing Tomi Lewis burst through, fed Dan Davis and the replacement flanker found Kieran Hardy on his inside to take the pass and run in from halfway.
The Dragons earned a confidence boosting 2019 victory over Ospreys at Rodney Parade. Ewan Rosser and Ollie Griffiths grabbed first-half tries as a youthful Dragons impressed and took a 14-7 lead at the interval.
An even second-half saw Ospreys fight back but the boot of Cai Evans – against his former club – and Will Reed proved vital as the men of Gwent ground out a win.
Dragons used 28 players in the fixture as boss Dai Flanagan looked to give his squad game time with the new league season less than a month away. And he will have been encouraged by the spirit and endeavour on show while knowing there will be much to work on before the away trip to Scarlets on Friday evening.
Glasgow Warriors cruised to a 28-3 win over Zebre, Jamie Dobie getting the first try followed by Sebastian Cancelliere and two for Kyle Rowe.
Connacht beat Edinburgh 45-19 in Sean Everitt's first match as senior coach of the Scottish side. Edinburgh managed three tries from hooker Adam McBurney, winger Wes Goosen, and captain Mark Bennett to lead 19-7 at half-time, former Bristol lock Joe Joyce scoring for Connacht.
Everitt made whoesale changes at the interval and the more experienced Connacht crossed for six tries from Andrew Smith, Jordan Duggan, Tom Farrell, Shamus Hurley-Langton, David Hawkshaw and Shayne Boltonwith JJ Hanrahan kicking five conversions.
Munster beat the Barbarians 47-35 at Thomond Park. Diarmuid Barron, Joey Carbery, Brian Gleeson (two), Shay McCarthy, Josh Wycherley, Fineen Wycherley and Neil Cronin were the Munster try-scorers with Carbery kicking six conversions.
Ulster lost 24-22 to Benetton at Stadio Omingo with a late try from Alessandro Izekor.
Ben Carson's try converted by Jake Flannery had put the Irishmen ahead with 12 minutes remaining having trailed 12-10 at the interval. Bautista Bernasaconi got the opening try for the Italians cancelled out by Nick Twomey's effort. Sean O'Brien crossed in the corner for Ulster's second on 33 minutes. Nathan Doak was unable to convert either effort. Benetton responded almost immediately with a try from Fijian Onisi Ratave, and Jacob Umaga added the extras.
Dave McCann got the first try of the second half but again the conversion – this time by Flannery – drifted wide. Retave grabbed a stunning second score before Carson and Izekor traded late blows.
Last season's URC finalists the Stormers won 64-26 against SWD Eagles, scoring 10 tries.
