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          United Rugby Championship 2017
          DragonsDragonsDRA
          22
          25/02FT
          54
          LeinsterLeinsterLEI
          • Adam Hughes(46')
          • Matthew Screech(67')
          • Sarel Pretorius(77')
          • Dorian Jones(47', 78')
          • Dorian Jones(6')
          • Jack Conan(11', 24')
          • Jamison Gibson-Park(42')
          • Ross Molony(54')
          • James Tracy(63')
          • Hayden Triggs(68')
          • Luke McGrath(71', 75')
          • Ross Byrne(12', 25', 43', 55', 69', 72', 75')
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          Leinster go top in PRO12 after thrashing Newport Gwent Dragons

          Joey Carbery in action for Leinster against Newport Gwent Dragons. Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images
          • PA Sport
          Multiple Authors
          Feb 25, 2017, 09:00 AM
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          Leinster moved to the top of the Guinness PRO12 table after hammering Newport Gwent Dragons 54-22.

          With Irish rivals Munster losing at home to the Scarlets, Leinster's power-play in the second half put them out of sight of the Dragons.

          They scored first-half tries from number eight Jack Cowan, who got two, before scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, hooker Richard Strauss and his replacement James Tracy, replacement Hayden Triggs and two from scrum-half sub Luke McGrath put the Irishman home and dry.

          Fly-half Ross Byrne kicked seven conversions against Dragons tries from wing Adam Hughes, lock Matthew Screech and one at the end from replacement scrum-half Sarel Pretorius. Fly-half Dorian Jones booted two conversions and a penalty.

          The Dragons got the first points on the board when Leinster were penalised at a scrum in front of their posts and Jones popped over the three points six minutes into the game.

          But that was the nearest the home side came to the Leinster line for the next half hour.

          They spent a long time defending after Leinster went ahead through a spectacular try.

          Full-back Joey Carbery found space near his own 22 and raced through a gap and up field. The Dragons defenders were scattered as Conan arrived on his colleague's shoulder to take the pass and run in from 22 metres.

          Leinster put the squeeze on the Dragons again, this time building the pressure near their line until Conan found a gap to the right of the posts and drove over to give Byrne a simple conversion. Just seconds after the restart, Leinster went further in front when Gibson-Park saw space and ran over for an easy converted try.

          However, the Dragons produced a swift response as a lovely move along the back line near the opposition line saw Hughes dive in at the corner and Jones land a thumping touchline conversion. From then on, though, Leinster hammered the Dragons as the Welshmen weakened.

          Strauss rumbled over from a few metres for the bonus point touchdown before Screech got another for the home side.

          But it was one way traffic after that as Trigg and two from McGrath put Leinster over the half century.

          A final try by Pretorious was a mere consolation for the Dragons.

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          Standings

          United Rugby Championship
          RTeamGPPDP
          1STO16+16656
          2GLA16+11455
          3LIO16+9053
          4LEI16+6753
          5MUN16+3251
          6CAR16-250
          7BUL16+9949
          8ULS16+7847
          9CON16+744
          10SHA16-3536
          11OSP16-3135
          12EDI16-6533
          13BEN16-10133
          14DRA16-12225
          15SCA16-9224
          16ZEB16-20515
          Full Table