Leinster back to winning ways against Scarlets

Leinster got back on track in the United Rugby Championship (URC) by beating a spirited Scarlets in Dublin. After losses to Cardiff and Glasgow, the reigning champions avoided a third defeat on the spin by running in six tries at Aviva Stadium. Leinster fought back from Joe Roberts' opener to lead 12-7 at the break thanks to tries by Garry Ringrose and Joshua Kenny.

Tommy O'Brien's quickfire double earned the four-try bonus after 45 minutes and further scores came from Max Deegan and Kenny. Scarlets ensured Leinster did not have things all their own way and were agonisingly close to a deserved consolation bonus after tries by Tom Rogers and Max Douglas. Rees-Zammit feeling 'more comfortable' at full-back Leinster climb to third in the table before Ulster's Saturday trip to bottom club Zebre while Scarlets remain 14th, a point and place above Dragons.

Leo Cullen's side were not at their best in a stop-start fixture but go into their home tie against Edinburgh in the last 16 of the Champions Cup on a winning note. The visitors deservedly opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Joe Roberts latched onto midfield partner Johnny Williams' grubber kick. Lock Brian Deeny was yellow-carded for a line-out offence in the build-up but Scarlets were then reduced to 13 when Roberts and flanker Jarrod Taylor were sin-binned.

Leinster, back to 15, were clinical in the 22 to level thanks to centre Ringrose and then hit the front against 14 men through wing Kenny. Wing O'Brien scored a double soon after the restart when put over down the left by Jamison Gibson-Park and then finishing on the other side after a stolen line-out. Scarlets, with strong-running number eight Fletcher Anderson excellent again, were rewarded for a bout of pressure when Rogers went over down the right from Blair Murray's fizzed pass.