Leinster 37 Dragons 12: Isa Nacewa and Fergus McFadden led by example at the RDS on Saturday, when their combined tally of 27 points helped Leinster to a comprehensive victory over Newport Gwent Dragons in the Guinness Pro12.

Fionn Carr’s 77th-minute try sealed a hard-earned 29-23 win for Connacht against Newport Gwent Dragons.

There are few surprises in Pat Lam’s Connacht squad for this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 opener at the Galway Sportsground (7.30pm).

South Africa have named seven uncapped players in a 51-man squad called up for a team planning session in Cape Town next month ahead of the World Cup and international season.

PETER DE VILLIERS has named three uncapped players in his South African XV to face a Namibian Invitational XV in Windhoek tomorrow.

Eleven players from GWK Griquas have been included in the starting line-up for the Royal XV team to play the British and Irish Lions in Rustenburg on Saturday.

THE British and Irish Lions will face a team made up mainly of players from the GWK Griquas and Platinum Leopards in their opening tour match on May 30. A Royal XV side, which the Lions will face at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in Phokeng, will be led by flanker Wilhelm Koch.

GORDON D’ARCY’s slim Lions prospects were eliminated yesterday when head coach Ian McGeechan confirmed he would not be calling up a replacement for the injured Tom Shanklin.