Two tries from Wales star James Hook and one each from Shane Williams and ex-Ravenhill favourite Tommy Bowe plus 18-points from the boot of Dan Biggar did the damage.

It lifted the Welsh side to second in the Magners League table and also ensured qualification for the Heineken Cup next season just four days after Biarritz had dumped them out of Europe’s elite competition.

Director of coaching Johnson had fallen ill before that match in France with a suspected heart scare and has not travelled with his squad for the matches with Ulster and Leinster.

Holley said: “That win is for Johnno and was just what the doctor ordered.

“It has been a tough week and we’ve had a lot go against us. I’m just really proud of the way the boys bounced back.

“The win has put us right back in there, we are in second place with three games remaining, but there are a lot of ups and downs ahead of this season still.

“We’ve got a difficult game ahead of us at the league leaders on the weekend, but we’ll go down there buoyed by the way we played.”