RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Round 18: 22ND & 23RD March 2013 ROUND 18 PREVIEWS With just five rounds left to decide which teams will contest the Play-Offs, there is a new leader of the RaboDirect PRO12 with Glasgow Warriors taking over the mantle from Ulster, whilst for the fourth round in succession, Ospreys swapped places with Scarlets in the Play-Off Zone. Three of those teams are in action on Friday night; Ulster traveling to Edinburgh, Ospreys hosting Welsh rivals Newport Gwent Dragons, and Scarlets in Italy to face Zebre. Edinburgh can do their Scottish neighbours, Warriors, a favour if they can defeat Ulster however their record against the Ulstermen is not great. Meanwhile Ospreys and Scarlets must both be looking to come away with maximum points from opponents who are sitting at the wrong end of the table in their bids to reach the Play-Offs. The leaders, Glasgow Warriors, are not in action until Saturday, and are the only one of the potential Play-Off teams to face another side from the top half of the table when the visit Leinster at the RDS. Munster will also be looking for maximum points in the All-Irish clash against Connacht if they are to make a final push for the knockout stages. With just two points separating the top three teams in the table, whilst it is even closer for the final Play Off spot, there is definitely all to play for still as the RaboDirect PRO12 enters its closing stages. ROUND 18 FIXTURES Friday 22 March EDINBURGH RUGBY v ULSTER At Murrayfield, 7.30pm. Referee: Leighton Hodges (WRU, 26th competition game) Assistant Referees: David Changleng, Graeme Marshall (both SRU) Citing Commissioner: Paul Minto (SRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue E U Edinburgh Rugby scorers Ulster scorers Sun 25 Apr 10 Murrayfield 25 37 Phil Godman(2C/2P) Andrew Stephen Ferris(T) Ian Humphreys(T/2C/P) Turnbull(T) Tim Visser(2T) Jamie Smith(T) Niall O'Connor(C/P) Simon Danielli(T) Ian Whitten(T) Fri 17 Sep 10 Ravenhill 21 29 Ben Cairns(T) Phil Godman(C/P) Chris Darren Cave(T) Niall O'Connor(C/D/3P) Paterson(2P) Tim Visser(T) Andrew Trimble(T) Ian Whitten(T) Fri 22 Oct 10 Murrayfield 21 16 David Blair(D) Fraser McKenzie(T) Chris Ian Humphreys(P) Paddy Wallace(C/2P) Paterson(C/2P) Netani Talei(T) Ian Whitten(T) Fri 6 Jan 12 Murrayfield 20 42 Alun Walker(T) Nick de Luca(T) Greig Dan Tuohy(T) Rory Best(T) Darren Laidlaw(2C/2P) Cave(T) Ian Humphreys(2P) Ruan Pienaar(2C/4P) Andrew Trimble(T) Fri 2 Mar 12 Ravenhill 16 38 Sep Visser(T) Phil Godman(2P) Tim Adam D'Arcy(T) Ian Humphreys(T) Chris Visser(T) Cochrane(T) Paul Marshall(T) Penalty Try(T) Ruan Pienaar(4C) Stefan Terblanche(T) Fri 2 Nov 12 Ravenhill 20 45 Tom Brown(2T) Gregor Hunter(2C/2P) Craig Gilroy(T) Jared Payne(2T) Niall O'Connor(P) Penalty Try(T) Ruan Pienaar(T/6C) Roger Wilson(T) Page 1 of 13 RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Round 18: 22ND & 23RD March 2013 Edinburgh Rugby have lost their last eleven contests in all competitions since their 24-23 victory over Connacht at the Sportsground in the RaboDirect PRO12 on 1 December- that win represents their only one over an Irish province since September 2011. Edinburgh’s sole win at Murrayfield since September was against Scarlets, 23-13, on 23 November. Ulster’s 29-all draw last time out against Treviso saw them drop off the top of the PRO12 table for the first time since September. The Ulstermen’s recent form has seen them gain just 14 points from a possible 30 over their last six matches in the competition. Edinburgh have won just one of their last eight fixtures with Ulster in all competitions since 2009: 21-16 at Murrayfield in the PRO12 on 22 October 2010. OSPREYS v NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS At Liberty Stadium , 7.05pm. Live on Referee: John Lacey (IRFU, 27th competition game) Assistant Referees: Ian Davies, Wayne Davies (both WRU) Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (WRU) TMO: Gareth Simmonds (WRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue O N Ospreys scorers Newport Gwent Dragons scorers Fri 7 May 10 Liberty Stadium 42 10 Dan Biggar(T/4C/3P) Ryan Jones(T) Jason Tovey(C/P) Wayne Evans(T) Penalty Try(T) Nikki Walker(T) Ryan Bevington(T) Sat 30 Oct 10 Liberty Stadium 16 21 Dai Flanagan(C/2P) Gareth Owen(T/P) Toby Faletau(T) Jason Tovey(C/3P) Wayne Evans(T) Fri 15 Apr 11 Rodney Parade 28 32 Dan Biggar(2P) Tommy Bowe(T) James Jason Tovey(C/2P) Aled Brew(2T) Wayne Hook(2C/P) Ryan Jones(T) Nikki Evans(T) Matt Jones(2C) Ashley Smith(T) Walker(T) Fri 6 Jan 12 Rodney Parade 20 21 Dan Biggar(P) Matthew Morgan(4P) Lewis Robling(T) Jason Tovey(C/3P) Tommy Bowe(T) Martyn Thomas(T) Fri 20 Apr 12 Liberty Stadium 31 12 Dan Biggar(3C/P) Ryan Jones(T) Shane Lewis Robling(4P) Williams(T/C) Penalty Try(2T) Mon 31 Dec 12 Rodney Parade 14 3 Ashley Beck(T) Dan Biggar(2C) Eli Tom Prydie(P) Walker(T) Ospreys have won just one of their last three RaboDirect PRO12 encounters: 24-7 at home to Edinburgh in round 16. The Welshmen have won their last seven PRO12 contests at Liberty Stadium since Glasgow won there, 28-10, on 14 September. Ospreys have not lost a PRO12 game to a fellow Welsh region since they visited Newport on 6 January 2012, and slipped up 20-21. Newport Gwent Dragons’ last three games in the tournament have strangely all been won by the away side! Dragons have won their last two away matches in all competitions but have not won three in a row on the road since October 2004. The Men from Gwent have lost their last five PRO12 encounters against fellow Welsh regions. The two sides have already met twice at Rodney Parade this season with Ospreys winning 14-3 in the RaboDirect PRO12 on New Year’s Eve and Dragons taking the Anglo-Welsh Cup tie 18-14 on 26 January. Dragons’ only previous victory at Liberty Stadium was 21-16 on 30 October 2010. ZEBRE v SCARLETS At Stadio XXV Aprile , 7pm local time (6pm UK & Ireland) Live on Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU, 45th competition game) Assistant Referees: Stefano Penne, Stefano Roscini (both FIR) Citing Commissioner: Alberto Recaldini (FIR) TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR) Page 2 of 13 RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Round 18: 22ND & 23RD March 2013 HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue Z S Zebre scorers Scarlets scorers Sat 3 Nov 12 Parc y Scarlets 13 22 Daniel Halangahu(C/2P) Matteo Kristian Phillips(T) Aled Thomas(C/5P) Pratichetti(T) Zebre have lost all 23 matches they have played this season in all competitions, eight by seven points or less. Scarlets only defeat in the last four rounds of RaboDirect PRO12 play was 5-32 to Leinster in Dublin on 23 February. The Scarlets have lost their last five away games in all tournaments since beating Cardiff Blues 9-6 at the Arms Park in the PRO12 on 21 December. The Welshmen have already been defeated in Italy this season, going down 20-22 at Treviso on 29 September. Scarlets won 22-13 when the two sides met in round 8 of this season’s RaboDirect PRO12. Saturday 23 March BENETTON TREVISO v CARDIFF BLUES At Stadio Monigo, 7.30pm local time (6.30pm UK & Ireland). Live on Referee: Giuseppe Vivarini (FIR, 7th competition game) Assistant Referees: Claudio Passacantando, Simone Boaretto (both FIR) Citing Commissioner: Maurizio Vancini (FIR) TMO: Mauro Dordolo (FIR) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue B C Benetton Treviso scorers Cardiff Blues scorers Fri 24 Sep 10 Stadio Monigo 7 19 Tobias Botes(C) Antonio Pavanello(T) Ben Blair(T) Dan Parks(C/2D/2P) Thu 21 Apr 11 Cardiff City Stadium 9 29 Willem de Waal(3P) Dan Parks(2C/5P) Xavier Rush(T) Penalty Try(T) Sun 11 Sep 11 Cardiff City Stadium 18 33 Kris Burton(2D/4P) Gareth Davies(C/3P) Alex Cuthbert(T) Dafydd Hewitt(T) Tom James(T) Ceri Sweeney(C) Martyn Williams(T) Sat 3 Mar 12 Stadio Monigo 13 20 Willem de Waal(P) Brendan Williams(T) Harry Robinson(T) Dan Parks(2C/2P) Simon Picone(T) Martyn Williams(T) Sat 22 Sep 12 Arms Park 18 34 Robert Barbieri(2T) Kris Burton(C/2P) Rhys Patchell(4C/2P) Jason Tovey(T) Dan Fish(T) Campese Ma'afu(T) Jamie Roberts(T) Benetton Treviso are unbeaten in their last two RaboDirect PRO12 fixtures, winning against Munster 34-10 at Stadio Monigo and drawing 29-all with Ulster at Ravenhill. Treviso’s only defeat in their last five home games in all competitions was 13-14 to Leicester in the European Cup on 15 December. Cardiff Blues’ only win in their last four PRO12 matches was 17-16 over Edinburgh at Murrayfield in round 15. The Blues have won all 15 previous contests they have played against Italian opponents in all competitions. The two sides have met on five previous occasions with Blues taking five wins and Treviso gaining just one losing bonus point for a 13-20 defeat at Stadio Monigo in the PRO12 on 3 March 2012. LEINSTER v GLASGOW WARRIORS At RDS Dublin, 7.45pm.