The Guinness PRO14 dived into the new decade head first with plenty of electrifying encounters across the league. Round 10 provided high-scoring thrillers as fans were treated to their first rugby offering of the new year and set the tone for the rest of 2020. Today’s Media Watch begins in Ireland whereLeinster continued their undefeated streak in the Guinness PRO14 this season and equalled their best-ever start to a league campaign with their tenth victory. Despite beatingConnacht 54-7, it wasn’t all good news as lock James Ryan came off after 20 minutes with a calf injury, but Leo Cullen said afterwards: “Hopefully it’s nothing to worry about.” In Conference B,Edinburgh went to the top of the table with a thumping 61-13 victory against 13-manIsuzu Southern Kings. Head coach Richard Cockerill believes his side are “ready for three huge games” during the Six Nations period but hopes they won’t get carried away with their league position. 💬 "What a great win for us tonight and what a way to celebrate your 50th cap."@vdWaltJACO chats after hitting a half-century of appearances tonight! 👏 pic.twitter.com/bvLYTa0Se0— Edinburgh Rugby (@EdinburghRugby) January 4, 2020 Munster were knocked off top spot and are now down to third after they were well beaten byUlster on Friday night. With two wins in their last seven games, coach Johann van Graan took responsibility for the loss as his team “got outplayed” at Kingspan. In Italy,Zebre produced a sensational performance againstToyota Cheetahs as they ran 41-3 winners with Charlie Walker scoring two tries. But Cheetahs head coach Hawies Fourie was less than impressed with his side believing “there isn’t one aspect of the game in which I feel we were on par” on their showing Parma. Scarlets pulled off a narrow victory beatingCardiff Blues 16-14 thanks to the boot of Leigh Halfpenny. That earned the Welsh international high praise from Brad Mooar, who compared the full-back to legendary All Black Owen Franks. A fifth win of the season came calling forGlasgow againstBenetton, taking all five points back with them. For prop Petrus Du Plessis, it was his first game since joining as a player-coach last summer, and the 38-year-old enjoyed his time on the pitch with a broken nose to show for it. It was another defeat this weekend forOspreys, who have only one Guinness PRO14 win to their name this season, after they lost 25-18 at the hands ofDragons. The biggest concern was injuries, two Welsh internationals were sidelined in Justin Tipuric and George North but forwards coach Carl Hogg doesn’t “think they are significant injuries”.
