Newport Gwent Dragons brought some much needed relief from the Ruddockgate scandal as the actual game of rugby took over for a brief period at Rodney Parade on Saturday night.

The Ospreys had stuttered to a narrow victory over Borders while Llanelli Scarlets suffered a shock defeat at bottom team Connacht - Cardiff Blues were without a game - so it was left to the Dragons to restore a bit of pride to the shattered Welsh image.

In a full-blooded encounter they got their retaliation in first as they offered Wales some hope and pointed the way ahead for Sunday's international against Ireland in Dublin.

They trailed after seven minutes but soon stormed ahead as they got a grip which they were never to relinquish.

In fact, it was their best performance of the season as they scattered a star-studded Leinster team to all parts of Rodney Parade.

Not only that, but the forwards found a really hard edge from somewhere as they took a strong Leinster pack on and outmuscled them, sometimes outfighting them as well.

When they resume after their six-week break (that long because the Scarlets game in a fortnight is off because of their Powergen Cup semi-final) they definitely need to carry on where they left off. If they do then qualification for next season's Heineken Cup ought to be a formality.

It was a physical encounter, the nature of which seemed to take Leinster by surprise and quite often it was border-line whether a player got yellow carded or not. The Dragons offered no respect as they pitched in and took on the Leinster eight, former British Lion Eric Miller getting a fearful shoeing on one occasion.

But most significant of all was the way they targeted Leinster danger-man Felipe Contepomi, the outside half and captain who has guided his side to victory so often.

Dragons coach Paul Turner had studied him on the video and deduced that he could be knocked out of his stride, thereby putting Leinster on the back foot.

Turner set out the battle plan and flankers Jason Forster and Jamie Ringer in particular obliged with towering performances.

Forster was back at his marauding, destructive best, not just because he snaffled two tries, but for the way he led his troops and hounded Contepomi.

Ringer was simply everywhere with one of those typical all embracing performances which have become his trademark.

Number eight Rhys Oakley enjoyed his best game for the Dragons, winning line-out ball at the tail and getting stuck in in a way he hasn't in the past, while lock Andrew Hall was also prominent until surprisingly replaced after an hour.

Craig Warlow kicked 16 points from four penalties and two conversions, neat and effective as usual, until forced off in injury time with a damaged knee.

Returning threequarters Nathan Brew and Gareth Wyatt provided a cutting edge which had been missing, Brew running and defending strongly and Wyatt showing his paces by racing clear for the Dragons' first try after Denis Hickie had failed to hold on to the ball after a high kick.

Though centre Kieran Lewis replied for Leinster when he took a pass from Hickie and sped outside Wyatt for a try, Warlow kept the scoreboard ticking over with the boot and though Contepomi put two penalties over, the Dragons went in 23-10 ahead.

Such a useful lead was made possible by the first of Forster's double five minutes from the interval when the Dragons captain smashed his way over after Hall won a line-out and was then just held up.

Midway through the second half Forster struck again when he ploughed over after great work by Ringer and Gareth Baber.

Ironically, just as the Dragons were going for an unlikely bonus point, Leinster struck with their second try. Had Brew been able to pick up an awkwardly bouncing ball he would have been over for the fourth try, but instead it eluded him and Lewis picked up to sprint clear and evade a couple of defenders on a thrilling 85-yard run for the line.

Warlow silenced those who jeered when he went for goal and kicked a penalty with time running out rather than go for the bonus point.

No chances this time, victory was all that mattered and the result put the skids under their Welsh rivals who were expecting the Dragons to lose and allow them a comfortable path into the Heineken Cup next season. The Dragons may be near the foot of the Celtic League table - Glasgow's shock win in Munster ensured that - but they will climb if they repeat this kind of performance.

Newport Gwent Dragons: A Thomas, G Wyatt, N Brew, J Bryant, B Breeze, C Warlow (S Tuipulotu 80), G Baber, A Black (D Maddocks 61), S Jones, R Thomas, A Hall (B Griffiths 61), P Sidoli, J Ringer, R Oakley, J Forster (captain). Scorers - tries: J Forster (2), G Wyatt; conversions: C Warlow (2); penalties: Warlow (4).

Leinster: G Dempsey, R Kearney, K Lewis, J Hepworth, D Hickie, F Contepomi, G Easterby, R Corrigan (R McCormack 75), B Blaney, W Green, A Byrnes (B Gissing 38-40 and 61), B Williams, E Miller, J Heaslip (N Ronan 55), K Gleeson. Scorers - tries: K Lewis (2); conversion: F Contepomi; penalties: Contepomi (2).