Rabodirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13
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RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Round 20: 12th & 13th April 2013 ROUND 20 PREVIEWS With just three rounds left in the RaboDirect PRO12, and therefore only a maximum of 15 match points left to play for, the competition for a top four finish will intensify over the final weeks. Leaders Glasgow Warriors face a tough trip to Llanelli on Friday to play Scarlets as their hosts are themselves vying for a top four finish, so both teams will be determined to come away with the points. Following their impressive victory at the RDS, second placed Ulster now face a home game against Newport Gwent Dragons to keep up their RaboDirect PRO12 challenge. Ulster will be looking to catch up with leaders Glasgow who they trail by just one point. Leinster are the third team challenging for one of just two home Play-Off spots, and they have the formidable task of taking on interprovincial rivals Munster at Thomond Park on Saturday. However the visitors will be buoyed by the fact they came away with the points on their last visit. Also on Saturday the remaining team in the Play-Off zone, Ospreys, welcome Benetton Treviso to the Liberty Stadium. The Italians may not have won at the venue, but are on a three match winning streak, so Ospreys will have their work cut out to make sure they keep ahead of Scarlets in the table. ROUND 20 FIXTURES Friday 12 April EDINBURGH RUGBY v CONNACHT At Murrayfield, 7.30pm. Referee: Rhys Thomas (WRU, 1st competition game) Assistant Referees: Peter Allan, TBC (both SRU) Citing Commissioner: John Kirk (SRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue E C Edinburgh Rugby scorers Connacht scorers Fri 2 Apr 10 Sportsground 21 22 Phil Godman(3C) Roddy Grant(T) Ian Keatley(T/D/2P) Miah Nikora(P) Mark Robertson(T) Tim Visser(T) Brian Tuohy(T) Fri 26 Nov 10 Murrayfield 24 19 David Blair(P) Chris Paterson(T/C/3P) Ian Keatley(2P) Miah Nikora(P) Tim Visser(T) Brian Tuohy(2T) Fri 1 Apr 11 Sportsground 23 27 James King(T) Greig Laidlaw(2C/3P) Fionn Carr(2T) Gavin Duffy(T) Ian Scott Newlands(T) Keatley(2C/P) Penalty Try(T) Fri 16 Sep 11 Murrayfield 19 14 Gregor Hunter(T) Greig Laidlaw(C/4P) Matthew Jarvis(2P) Niall O'Connor(T/P) Fri 24 Feb 12 Sportsground 13 26 Phil Godman(P) Chris Paterson(T) Fetu'u Vainikolo(T) Matthew Tim Visser(T) Jarvis(C/P) Mike McCarthy(T) Niall O'Connor(C/3P) Sat 1 Dec 12 Sportsground 24 23 Stuart McInally(T) Matt Scott(T) Greig Danie Poolman(T) Jason Harris- Laidlaw(3C/P) Tim Visser(T) Wright(T) Dan Parks(2C/3P) Edinburgh Rugby have won their last two RaboDirect PRO12 matches against Ulster and Zebre, but have not won three in a row in the competition since October 2010. Connacht’s three game winning run in the PRO12 ended with their 0-22 reversal to Munster in cork on 23rd March. Connacht’s only victory in their last six encounters with Scottish opponents was 26-13 over Edinburgh in Galway in February 2012. Edinburgh beat Connacht 24-23 at the Sportsground in round 10, and have not achieved a season’s double over the Irishmen since 2008/09. Connacht’s only victory in eight previous visits to Murrayfield was 16-13 in March 2005. Page 1 of 14 RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Round 20: 12th & 13th April 2013 SCARLETS v GLASGOW WARRIORS At Parc y Scarlets , 7.05pm. Live on Referee: George Clancy (IRFU, 53rd competition game) Assistant Referees: Neil Hennessy, Jon Mason (both WRU) Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU) TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue S G Scarlets scorers Glasgow Warriors scorers Fri 7 May 10 Parc y Scarlets 32 37 Dan Evans(T) Lee Williams(T) DTH van der Merwe(T) Bernardo Stephen Jones(T/C/5P) Stortoni(T) Dan Parks(4C/3P) Hefin O'Hare(T) Calum Forrester(T) Fri 29 Oct 10 Parc y Scarlets 18 14 Rhys Priestland(6P) Duncan Weir(T/2C) DTH van der Merwe(T) Fri 22 Apr 11 Firhill Stadium 37 29 Ben Morgan(T) Tavis DTH van der Merwe(2T) Ruaridh Knoyle(T) Lou Reed(T) Jackson(C/4P) Tom Ryder(T) Morgan Stoddart(2T) Stephen Jones(3C/2P) Sat 7 Jan 12 Parc y Scarlets 16 14 Gareth Davies(T) Rhys Ruaridh Jackson(P) Moray Low(T) Priestland(C/3P) Scott Wight(2P) Thu 9 Feb 12 Firhill Stadium 9 19 Dan Newton(3P) Ruaridh Jackson(C/4P) Jon Welsh(T) Fri 7 Sep 12 Scotstoun Stadium 18 13 Aaron Shingler(T) George Duncan Weir(C) Chris Cusiter(T) North(T) Andy Fenby(T) Rhys Ruaridh Jackson(2P) Priestland(P) Scarlets have lost just one of their last seven matches in all competitions: 5-32 to Leinster at the RDS in the RaboDirect PRO12 on 23rd February. The Llanelli based side have won their last four encounters at Parc y Scarlets, Scarlets are going for a clean sweep over Scottish opponents this season. Glasgow Warriors only loss in their last nine PRO12 fixtures was 17-22 to Leinster at the RDS on 23rd March. The Warriors have won eight of their last nine encounters with the Welsh regions. Glasgow have won just one of their last five matches against the Scarlets: 19-9 at Firhill in February 2012. Warriors have not won at Parc y Scarlets since May 2010. ULSTER v NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS At Ravenhill , 7.05pm. Live on Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU, 28th competition game) Assistant Referees: Paul Haycock, Gary Conway (both IRFU) Citing Commissioner: Gordon Black (IRFU) TMO: Peter Ferguson (IRFU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue U N Ulster scorers Newport Gwent Dragons scorers Fri 19 Feb 10 Ravenhill 22 22 Ian Humphreys(4P) Paddy Jason Tovey(C/D/4P) Steve Wallace(T) Simon Danielli(T) Jones(T) Fri 18 Mar 11 Ravenhill 25 23 Nevin Spence(T) Darren Adam Hughes(C) Jason Tovey(T/D) Cave(T) Tommy Seymour(T) Aled Brew(T) Lewis Evans(T) Matt Ruan Pienaar(2C/D/P) Jones(P) Fri 6 May 11 Rodney Parade 20 13 Nevin Spence(2T) Ian Jason Tovey(P) Matt Jones(C/P) Humphreys(C/P) Pedrie Tom Riley(T) Wannenburg(T) Fri 30 Sep 11 Rodney Parade 9 22 Paddy Jackson(3P) Jason Tovey(C/5P) Tom Riley(T) Page 2 of 14 RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Round 20: 12th & 13th April 2013 Fri 10 Feb 12 Ravenhill 30 12 Craig Gilroy(T) Ruan Jason Tovey(4P) Pienaar(T/2C/2P) Robbie Diack(T) Stefan Terblanche(T) Fri 26 Oct 12 Rodney Parade 46 19 Darren Cave(T) Tom Court(T) Tom Prydie(C/4P) Andy Tuilagi(T) Jared Payne(T) Nick Williams(T) Ruan Pienaar(T/5C/2P) Andrew Trimble(T) Ulster’s three game winless run in the RaboDirect PRO12 ended with their hard fought 22-18 victory over Leinster at the RDS on 30th March. Ulster’s nine game winning run against Welsh regions at Ravenhill ended with their 12- 16 defeat there to Ospreys on 8th February. Newport Gwent Dragons have slipped to three successive PRO12 losses since their 14-13 victory over Zebre in Parma in round 16. Dragons have been victorious only once in their last nine contests against Irish provinces. The Men from Gwent have beaten Ulster just once in their last half a dozen encounters: 22-9 at Rodney Parade in September 2011. The Dragons most recent victory at Ravenhill was in September 2008. Saturday 13 April CARDIFF BLUES v ZEBRE At Cardiff Arms Park, 2.30pm Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU, 1st competition game) Assistant Referees: Tim Hayes, Julian Smith (both WRU) Citing Commissioner: Aurwel Morgan (WRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue C Z Cardiff Blues scorers Zebre scorers Sun 25 Nov 12 Stadio XXV Aprile 14 7 Nathan Trevett(T) Ceri Daniel Halangahu(C) Samuele Sweeney(3P) Pace(T) Cardiff Blues have slipped to four successive RaboDirect PRO12 reversals and have not lost five in a row in the competition in the same season since 2004/05. The Blues suffered their first ever loss to an Italian opponent when they visited Treviso in round 18. Zebre are still looking for that elusive first win in the RaboDirect PRO12, but are getting ever closer having claimed three losing bonus points in their last four games. Cardiff Blues won 14-7 when the two sides met in Italy in round 9. MUNSTER v LEINSTER At Thomond Park, 6.30pm. Live on Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU, 96th competition game) Assistant Referees: David Wilkinson, Jonathan Peak (both IRFU) Citing Commissioner: Eddie Walsh (IRFU) TMO: Jude Quinn (IRFU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue M L Munster scorers Leinster scorers Sat 2 Oct 10 Aviva Stadium 9 13 Ronan O'Gara(3P) Brian O'Driscoll(T) Isa Nacewa(C/2P) Sat 2 Apr 11 Thomond Park 24 23 Paul Warwick(P) Ronan Shane Horgan(T) Jonathan O'Gara(7P) Sexton(6P) Sat 28 May 11 Thomond Park (TF) 19 9 Keith Earls(T) Doug Jonathan Sexton(3P) Howlett(T) Ronan O'Gara(2C) Penalty Try(T) Fri 4 Nov 11 Aviva Stadium 19 24 Ronan O'Gara(C/4P) Penalty Rob Kearney(D) Jonathan Try(T) Sexton(7P) Sat 31 Mar 12 Thomond Park 9 18 Ronan O'Gara(3P) Ian Madigan(D) Fergus McFadden(P) Jonathan Sexton(4P) Page 3 of 14 RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Round 20: 12th & 13th April 2013 Sat 6 Oct 12 Aviva Stadium 21 30 Conor Murray(T) Peter Ian Madigan(T) Brian O'Driscoll(T) O'Mahony(T) Ian Keatley(C) Jonathan Sexton(3C/3P) Richardt Ronan O'Gara(3P) Strauss(T) Munster’ s victory over English champions Harlequins last weekend saw them become the RaboDirect PRO12’s solo representative in the last four of this season’s European Cup.