The best of the GUINNESS PRO12: Round Seven

Jeff Hassler's breakaway try ensured Ospreys remain top of the GUINNESS PRO12 table as they recorded a seventh straight league victory by defeating Connacht 26-11.

The Welsh side were trailing 6-3 early in the second half when Hassler raced clear and Martin Roberts went over soon after as Steve Tandy's men equalled their best-ever start to a league season.

Glasgow Warriors sit just three points behind the table-toppers after they battled to a hard-fought 17-9 victory over Benetton Treviso.

Fijian scrum-half Nikola Matawalu notched the only try of the game after 20 minutes and the Warriors have still suffered just a solitary defeat in GUINNESS PRO12 action this year.

A try double from young full-back Stuart Olding was the difference at the Kingspan Stadium as Ulster saw off Newport Gwent Dragons 23-6.

The 21-year-old dotted down either side of half-time and prop Declan Fitzpatrick barrelled over late on as Ulster haven't conceded a league try since a loss to Zebre in September.

Munster extended their winning streak in all competitions to five games but only thanks to some late drama at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park.

The Red Army were three points down to Cardiff Blues with 77 minutes on the clock but Paddy Butler's last-gasp try led them to a 28-24 triumph.

Munster's Irish rivals Leinster also claimed a win, albeit in less dramatic circumstances, as they beat an injury-plagued Edinburgh team 33-8, with Dominic Ryan's try double the highlight.

Leinster's unbeaten run at the RDS Arena currently stands at 22 games while Scarlets' home record is now 12 matches without a loss after they saw off Zebre 28-13 at Parc y Scarlets.

Fly-half Steve Shingler produced a sublime kicking display to boot 23 points with Steffan Hughes grabbing the hosts' only try off the back of a commanding scrum from the Welshmen.

TRY OF THE WEEKEND

Glasgow faced a surprisingly tough examination from winless Benetton Treviso but a magnificent team try in the first-half, finished off by Nikola Matawalu, lit up a wet Friday evening at Scotstoun.

In a game that was otherwise a kicking battle between Peter Horne and Treviso's Jayden Hayward, the Fijian's 20th minute effort proved decisive.

Fielding a kick in their own 22, the Warriors broke away down the left before Leone Nakarawa popped the ball to Peter Murchie, who in turn passed to the onrushing Matawalu, and the scrum-half slid over to score.

BREAK OF THE WEEKEND

Ulster's Stuart Olding nabbed himself two tries in a game his side never looked like losing against the Dragons and it was his incisive break that led to the first of those.

The 21-year-old caught a perfectly-timed pop pass from Darren Cave and burst through the Dragons initial defensive line before holding off a pursuing Rhys Williams and Angus O'Brien to dot down.

For his second score, the speedster showed great body control to touch down in the corner following Stuart McCloskey's basketball-style tip pass but his first effort was the weekend's best break.

PLAY OF THE WEEKEND

At 6-3 down in the second half, Ospreys fans may have been concerned about their team's 100 per cent GUINNESS PRO12 record coming to a crashing halt.

But full-back Dan Evans scythed through the Connacht defence before offloading to Jeff Hassler - and the Canadian winger used his pace to cross the whitewash for his fifth try of the season.

Martin Roberts later touched down as Connacht fell to a tenth consecutive loss at the Liberty Stadium but it was Hassler's effort that turned the game around.

PLAYER OF THE WEEKEND

Leinster flanker Dominic Ryan grabbed a pair of tries in his side's bonus-point win against Edinburgh but it was his combative, all-round display that really caught the eye.

Edinburgh came into the game with an 18-strong injury list but that shouldn't take away from Ryan's impressive showing in the Irish side's five-try triumph.

The 24-year-old was a constant threat with ball in hand and his two scores off the back of a ruck and a maul respectively, were the cherry on top of a gem of a performance.

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