Munster make it four in a row as Dragons edge Cheetahs

Gavin Coombes scored two tries in the last nine minutes as Munster made their numerical advantage count in a 29-10 home win over Scarlets in Pro14.

Sam Lousi was sent off in the first half and the Welsh side were down to 13 men by the time Coombes scored his late double after Tevita Ratuva was sent to the sin-bin.

Scarlets were still within a try before forward Coombes ensured Munster opened up an eight-point advantage over their opponents in the Conference B table.

Second-placed Munster are within two of leaders Edinburgh after their fourth straight win across all competitions.

It was a performance that only got going after Lousi saw red six minutes before the interval for aiming two punches at Fineen Wycherley.

Amid difficult conditions at Thomond Park, Jack O’Sullivan scored the game’s first try a minute after the dismissal to give his side a 10-3 half-time lead.

Javan Sebastian kept Scarlets in it when he responded to Munster’s second try, which was scored by skipper Billy Holland, but Ratuva’s exit ended any hopes of a comeback as Coombes crossed twice to earn Munster a bonus point.

Full-time in #MUNvSCA 

The 14-men of @scarlets_rugby offered a glimmer of hope through a Javan Sebastian try, but three second half tries for @Munsterrugby calmed the storm to deliver the win at Thomond Park #GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/zZ0blmBdzR

— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) February 29, 2020

In Saturday’s other game, Dragons came back from 10 points down to earn a 13-10 triumph over Cheetahs.

Sam Davies scored the winning penalty five minutes after the allocated 80 were up after Jared Rosser had crossed to give the home side hope.

The visiting Cheetahs earlier raced into a double-figure lead inside 18 minutes after Junior Pokomela’s converted try was followed up by a Tian Schoeman penalty.

But Cheetahs were pegged back by Dragons and then took a risk that did not pay off when they kicked for the corner rather than at goal with a penalty as the match was level at 10-10 late on.

Defeat meant the South African side missed the chance to move above Glasgow Warriors into third in Conference A.

What an ending @dragonsrugby clinch the win over @CheetahsRugby at the death #GuinnessPRO14 #DRAvCHE pic.twitter.com/yUFgQd5BZC

— PRO14 RUGBY (@PRO14Official) February 29, 2020

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