WEEKEND WRAP: McMillan’s Munster surge late in Cork

Former Chiefs' coach Clayton McMillan saw a three-try final quarter blitz lift his Munster side to a 31-3 win over Gloucester in Cork on Saturday.

The bonus point win got Munster back on track in the European competition. Munster's final two pool games are against Toulon in France on January 11 and against Castres at home at Thomond Park on January 17.

McMillan said the squad's last quarter was impressive.

"We put just as much time into the selection of our bench as we do into the starting guys because when we get into the back end of the game, we need those guys to inject something different to what's already been out on the field, and I thought they did well.

"The positive is we got the five points today and that was the target. We got the job done."

All Blacks three-quarter Rieko Ioane had his first start for Leinster in the game, but it was fellow Kiwi Jamison Gibson-Park who opened the scoring for the side, who will next play Stade Rochelais in Dublin on January 11 and Bayonnais in France on January 18.

Leinster coach Leo Cullen said after his side's 23-15 win at Leicester, "Leicester were in the final of the Premiership last year, they're a tough team. For us to come away here and win is a great achievement for our group. Is it perfect? No. How many teams have played the perfect game? Who played a perfect game last weekend?

"We're not where we want to be...but the lads stuck at it.  I was pleased we were able to figure a way out through a bit of a dogfight."

In the opening round of Japan's Rugby League One, Wild Knights inflicted a 46-0 defeat on the Brave Lupus, where first five-eighths Richie Mo'unga was unable to influence the outcome after the Wild Knights led 33-0 at halftime.

Former Blues and All Blacks' assistant coach Leon MacDonald's Yokohama Canon Eagles were unable to hold off Shizuoka BlueRevs, who won 39-27. It was the first win away to the Eagles since 2018 for the Blue Revs. Of concern for the Eagles was the loss of Springboks halfback Faf de Klerk to injury.

The Kubota Spears overcame a yellow card to former Wellington lock Akira Ieremia to be Kobelco Kobe Steelers 33-28, their seventh consecutive victory over them.

Coached by former Chiefs and Australia coach Dave Rennie, the Steelers had All Blacks centre Anton Lienert-Brown score on debut, but the loss of Ieremia and a yellow card for All Black Ardie Savea proved costly.

Four tries in the last 30 minutes, including one to former All Black and Hurricanes midfielder Peter Umaga-Jensen, saw Hanazone Kintetsu Liners beat Toyota Industries Shuttles Aichi 40-14.

Umaga-Jensen's brother Thomas was one of two Shuttles players sin-binned in the last five minutes.

Former All Black Greg Cooper managed a first-up win in his return to Japan when his Green Rockets Tokatsu beat RedHurricanes Osaka 31-14.