RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Play-Offs, 10 & 11 May 2013 PREVIEW After 132 games over 22 rounds just four of the twelve participating teams now go forward to the knockout phase in the quest to find the RaboDirect PRO12 champions of 2012/13. All bar one of them, Scarlets, have competed in the Play-Offs before, although the Llanelli based team did get their name on the trophy in 2004, the first season the tournament was played on a home and away basis. In the three seasons since the introduction of the Play-Offs, the side that has finished top of the table has gone on to win the title just once, Munster in 2010/11. On the other two occasions Leinster have not been able to capitalise on the home advantage granted to them for finishing top of the pile, losing out twice to Ospreys in finals played at the RDS. Top seeds Ulster spent 15 of the 22 rounds leading the table, and having slipped down to third during March, bounced back up to lead for the final three rounds. Their opponents, Scarlets, despite losing to Benetton Treviso last time out, were still able to secure the last Play-Off spot as their nearest rivals, Ospreys, also lost in their final game against Leinster in Dublin. It is appropriate that the other two Play-Off participants, Leinster and Glasgow Warriors, face each other as they had both been battling for home advantage over the second half of the season, each of them taking over the top spot in turn when Ulster faced a dip in form. In the end Leinster took advantage of a better run-in and held on to the second place they had claimed three rounds out. And so the scene was set, the last four teams know just 80 minutes stands between them and a place in the RaboDirect PRO12 final on 25th May . FIXTURES Friday 10 May ULSTER v SCARLETS At Ravenhill, 7.45pm. Live on Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU, 58th competition game) Assistant Referees: Andrew McMenemy, Adrian Graves (both SRU) Citing Commissioner: TBC (SRU) TMO: Iain Ramage (SRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue U S Ulster scorers Scarlets scorers Fri 18 Feb 11 Parc y Scarlets 18 16 Ruan Pienaar(6P) Penalty Try(T) Rhys Priestland(C/D/2P) Fri 1 Apr 11 Ravenhill 20 18 Ian Humphreys(2T) Ruan Pienaar(2C/2P) Aaron Shingler(T) Jonathan Davies(T) Rhys Priestland(C) Stephen Jones(2P) Sat 29 Oct 11 Parc y Scarlets 17 24 Ian Humphreys(4P) Andrew Trimble(T) Adam Warren(T) Dan Newton(P) Aled Thomas(C/3P) Liam Williams(T) Fri 2 Dec 11 Ravenhill 24 17 Stephen Ferris(2T) Ian Humphreys(C/4P) Viliame Iongi(T) Kieran Murphy(T) Sean Lamont(T) Stephen Jones(C) Sun 2 Dec 12 Parc y Scarlets 19 12 Paddy Jackson(C/4P) Andrew Trimble(T) Aled Thomas(4P) Fri 4 Jan 13 Ravenhill 47 17 Paddy Jackson(2C) Darren Cave(C) Neil Scott Williams(T/C) Aled Thomas(C/P) McComb(T) Nick Williams(T) Penalty Josh Turnbull(T) Try(T) Ruan Pienaar(2C/4P) Andrew Trimble(T) Robbie Diack(T) Ulster finished on top of the pile in the RaboDirect PRO12 table this season to qualify for a first Play-Off since 2010/11. The Ulstermen have lost just one of their last six encounters in the competition; 8-14 at Edinburgh on 22nd March. Ulster’s solo defeat to a Welsh region in their last nine such matches was 12-16 at home to Ospreys on 8th February. Scarlets five game winning run in the PRO12 came to a shuddering halt with their 17-41 reversal at the hands of Benetton Treviso at Parc y Scarlets in round 22. The Welshmen’s last five fixtures against Irish provinces have all been won by the home side on the day. This is Scarlets first appearance in the Play-Offs. Ulster have won five of their last six contests against Scarlets with the Welshmen’s only success during that time being 24- 17 at Parc y Scarlets on 29 October 2011. Scarlets have not been victorious at Ravenhall since the opening round of the 2008/09 season. Page 1 of 11 RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Play-Offs, 10 & 11 May 2013 Saturday 11 May LEINSTER v GLASGOW WARRIORS At RDS Dublin , 7.35pm. Live on Referee: Pascal Gauzere (FFR, 4th competition game) Assistant Referees: Marius Mitrea, Giuseppe Vivarini (both FIR) Citing Commissioner: Ray Wilton (WRU) TMO: Carlo Damasco (FIR) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue L G Leinster scorers Glasgow Warriors scorers Fri 6 May 11 Royal Dublin Society 38 3 Dominic Ryan(T) Gordon D'Arcy(T) Duncan Weir(P) Shane Horgan(T) Kevin McLaughlin(T) Fergus McFadden(3C/4P) Sat 17 Sep 11 Royal Dublin Society 19 23 Ian Madigan(T) Isa Nacewa(C/4P) Pete Horne(T) Duncan Weir(C/2P) Nick Campbell(T) Scott Wight(C/P) Sat 25 Feb 12 Firhill Stadium 10 10 Ian Madigan(C) Isa Nacewa(P) Heinke Ruaridh Jackson(C/P) Penalty Try(T) van der Merwe(T) Sat 12 May 12 Royal Dublin Society 19 15 Dave Kearney(T) Jonathan Sexton(C/4P) Duncan Weir(P) Stuart Hogg(T) Ruaridh (PO) Jackson(C) Dougie Hall(T) Fri 23 Nov 12 Scotstoun Stadium 6 0 Ian Madigan(2P) Sat 23 Mar 13 Royal Dublin Society 22 17 Ian Madigan(T/C/5P) Pete Horne(T) Duncan Weir(2C/P) Ed Kalman(T) This is Leinster’s fourth successive home Play-Off game at the RDS, all of which they have won. In fact the Leinstermen have won their last six semi-final fixtures in all competitions. Leinster’s only loss in the RaboDirect POR12 since round 11 was 18- 22 at home to Ulster on 30th March. Leinster are unbeaten in their last ten encounters against Scottish opponents in all tournaments since Glasgow Warriors won 23-19 at the RDS in the PRO12 on 17th September 2011. This is Glasgow Warriors second successive appearance in the Play-Offs, and a repeat of last year’s fixture at this stage when they also faced Leinster at the RDS, but went down 15-19. The Warriors have won three of their last four contests with Irish provinces. Leinster are unbeaten in their last six clashes with the Warriors in all competitions whilst Glasgow have been victorious only once in nine previous visits to the RDS. RaboDirect PRO12 FINAL Saturday 25th May 2013 (kick-off 4.45pm) Extra Time and Place Kicking Competition (Abbreviated Rules) In the event of a tie at full time in a RaboDirect PRO12 Semi-Final or the RaboDirect PRO12 Final then extra-time will be played, consisting of two periods, each of ten minutes. If the score is still tied after extra-time, the Team that has scored the most tries in the match will be deemed the winner. If the Teams are still tied on points and tries at the end of extra-time then the winner will be determined by a Place Kick Competition. In the event that a Place Kick Competition is required, each Team will nominate three goal kickers who will take six place kicks between them from different positions along the twenty-two metre and ten metre lines. The Team with the most place kicks scored will be the winner. If the Teams are tied at the end of their six kicks, then sudden death will apply. Only players in the playing area at the final whistle of extra-time may be nominated for the Place Kick Competition. No substituted players or players who have been shown a red card may take part at any time including any player who has received a yellow card and who remains in the sin bin at the time of the final whistle of extra-time. Page 2 of 11 RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Play-Offs, 10 & 11 May 2013 ROUND 22 MICROCOSM FRIDAY 3 MAY CONNACHT (3)3 GLASGOW WARRIORS (10)20 Dan Parks(P) Stuart Hogg(C/P) Att: 6,081 Ruaridh Jackson(C/D) DTH van der Merwe(16) Sean Maitland(70) (B) LEINSTER (17)37 OSPREYS (12)19 Ian Madigan(C) Dan Biggar(29/2C) Jonathan Sexton(3C/3P) Ben John(35) Andrew Conway(7/ 23/ 42) Tom Isaacs(72) Cian Healy(78) Att: 17,583 (B) ULSTER (10)37 CARDIFF BLUES (13)13 Ruan Pienaar(9/4C/3P) Rhys Patchell(C/D/P) Andrew Trimble(43/ 54) Dafydd Hewitt(4) Robbie Diack(78) Att: 10,700 (b) ZEBRE (22)25 MUNSTER (14)27 Daniel Halangahu(3P) Ian Keatley(3C/2P) Gonzalo Garcia(2P) Johne Murphy(5) Sinoti Sinoti(13) Paddy Butler(17) Giovanbattista Venditti(36) BJ Botha(65) Att: 2,500 EDINBURGH RUGBY (25)31 NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS (10)24 (b) Greig Tonks(14) Steffan Jones(4) Greig Laidlaw(19/2C/4P) Dan Lydiate(63) Netani Talei(25) Tom Prydie(65/3C/P) Att: 3,660 SCARLETS (12)17 BENETTON TREVISO (13)41 (B) Owen Williams(4P) Kris Burton(3C/5P) Liam Williams(80) Robert Barbieri(8) Att: 9,129 Manoa Vosawai(49) Luca Morisi(65) Christian Loamanu(73) Key: winning team shown in green, losing team in red, a draw marked in amber Note: (B) denotes a try bonus point and (b) a losing bonus point RaboDirect PRO12 DEBUTS IN ROUND 22 (1) Cian Bohane (Munster) Page 3 of 11 RaboDirect PRO12 : PREVIEW 2012/13 Play-Offs, 10 & 11 May 2013 HOW THEY FINISHED RaboDirect PRO12 Record Points Attack Defence Pos Team P W D L TB LB Tot T C PG DG For T C PG DG Agst TB LB PD 1 Ulster (1) 22 17 1 4 8 3 81 62 48 57 0 577 33 21 44 3 348 3 6 229 2 Leinster (2) 22 17 0 5 9 1 78 63 54 53 1 585 46 27 31 3 386 2 6 199 3 Glasgow Warriors (3) 22 16 0 6 9 3 76 66 44 40 1 541 30 24 41 1 324 1 3 217 4 Scarlets (4) 22 15 0 7 3 3 66 41 27 56 3 436 37 28 53 2 406 3 5 30 5 Ospreys (5) 22 14 1 7 2 2 62 48 42 47 2 471 25 17 60 1 342 2 4 129 6 Munster (6) 22 11 1 10 4 4 54 46 37 44 2 442 34 24 54 3 389 2 4 53 7 Benetton Treviso (7) 22 10 2 10 4 2 50 45 33 39 2 414 44 37 50 2 450 3 4 -36 8 Connacht (8) 22 8 1 13 1 3 38 32 24 44 6 358 43 30 48 1 422 4 2 -64 9 Cardiff Blues (9) 22 8 0 14 1 5 38 28 20 55 1 348 51 41 49 1 487 4 4 -139 10 Edinburgh Rugby (10) 22 7 0 15 1 7 36 35 25 56 2 399 51 39 53 4 504 3 5 -105 11 Newport Gwent Dragons (11) 22 6 0 16 1 3 28 31 19 49 6 358 72 56 38 1 589 10 2 -231 12 Zebre (12) 22 0 0 22 1 9 10 29 19 36 0 291 60 48 55 4 573 7 0 -282 TOTALS 132 129 3 129 44 45 617 526 392 576 26 5220 526 392 576 26 5220 44 45 2012/13 ABBREVIATED RULES The RaboDirect PRO12 shall consist of a league stage followed by a play-off stage.