URC: Ulster left to stew as Leinster lions surge clear

The opening block of BKT United Rugby Championship is over and we have a mini break before the autumn internationals kick off at the start of November.

Leinster, to no-one's surprise, lead the pack with a perfect record of six from six. They are six points clear at the top of the standings.

Saturday's 24-6 win over the unbeaten Lions was the first time they failed to pick up a bonus point but, aside from that, it’s been an excellent run from Leo Cullen’s side, who have used 47 players.

That includes debuts for youngsters Hugh Cooney and Stephen Smyth, both of whom went on the Emerging Ireland tour.

Cooney got his first start at the Aviva Stadium and impressed alongside Robbie Henshaw in the centre, while Smyth was denied a try when the referee decided he didn't want to wait around for a conversion, awarding a penalty try just before the hooker was about to dot down.

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Stalwarts RG Snyman and Rabah Slimani also got their Leinster careers off to good starts.

While they can sit back and enjoy the Autumn Nations Series from the top of the pile, it’s Ulster who have to sit and stew in the thoughts of what might have been.

With Richie Murphy in his first full year in charge and plenty of talk about regeneration and building from the ground up with a youthful squad, they had dug out home wins against Glasgow, Connacht and Ospreys, which had them under par after the tour to South Africa, where they lost both games.

And with just 32 minutes to go on Saturday night in Cardiff they were 19-0 up and