RaboDirect PRO12 PREVIEW 2012/13 Round Nine: 23rd – 25th November 2012 ROUND NINE PREVIEWS With the completion of their postponed Round 4 game against Zebre, Ulster have now pulled out a six points lead at the top of the RaboDirect PRO12 table. They are in action in Italy again on Friday night when they face Benetton Treviso at Stadio Monigo, and will be looking to extend their unbeaten record in the country as well as maintaining their 100per cent start to this season’s RaboDirect PRO12. Current RaboDirect PRO12 champions, Ospreys, are also in action on Friday night travelling to Murrayfield to play Edinburgh Rugby. Ospreys sit just outside the top four due to poorer points difference than Munster, should results go their way this weekend it could be the first time they have entered the Play-Off zone this season. The match of the day must be the encounter at Scotstoun where third placed Glasgow Warriors must overcome the reigning European champions, Leinster if they are to set a new Warriors record in this tournament of seven successive wins. The final game on Friday night is in Wales when Newport Gwent Dragons host Connacht. Both teams have had a mixed start to their seasons, and a win would be a welcome boost to their campaigns. The round concludes with two games on Sunday, Munster v Scarlets and Zebre v Cardiff Blues. After having narrowly missed out to Ulster last weekend, Zebre are still looking for their first win in the completion, and will be hoping Blues poor form continues for one more week. Munster will be hoping their impressive record against Scarlets in Ireland will continue, they have not lost to the Welsh Region since March 2007, whilst second placed Scarlets will be aiming to close the gap on leaders Ulster. ROUND NINE FIXTURES Friday 23 November BENETTON TREVISO v ULSTER At Stadio Monigo, 7.05pm local time (6.05pm UK & Ireland). Live on Live on Referee: Peter Allan (SRU, 49th competition game) Assistant Referees: Andrea Spadoni, Stefano Traversi (both FIR) Citing Commissioner: Alberto Recaldini (FIR) TMO: Stefano Marama (FIR) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue B U Benetton Treviso scorers Ulster scorers Fri 26 Nov 10 Stadio Monigo 9 19 Tobias Botes(3P) Craig Gilroy(2T) Ian Humphreys(2C) Simon Danielli(T) Fri 7 Jan 11 Ravenhill 13 32 Willem de Waal(C/2P) Gonzalo Adam D'Arcy(T) Nevin Spence(T) Padro(T) Rory Best(T) Ian Humphreys(3C/2P) Ruan Pienaar(T) Fri 7 Oct 11 Ravenhill 23 12 Kris Burton(T/2C/3P) Penalty Try(T) Ian Humphreys(C) Pedrie Wannenburg(2T) Sat 24 Mar 12 Stadio Monigo 23 27 Kris Burton(2C/2D/P) Enrico Chris Henry(T) Paddy Wallace(T) Ceccato(T) Alberto di Bernardo(T) Ruan Pienaar(3C/2P) Ian Whitten(T) Benetton Treviso have slipped to four straight defeats in all competitions since their 27-22 victory over Edinburgh at Murrayfield on 5 October. Treviso have lost their last seven encounters with Irish provinces. Ulster very nearly lost their 100% record this season when they narrowly overcame Zebre 27-25 in a rearranged RaboDirect PRO12 encounter at Parma on Sunday. The Ulstermen have won their last five away games and have never lost in nine previous visits to Italy in all competitions. The two sides have met on eight previous occasions with Ulster’s only defeat being 23-12 at Ravenhill in October 2011. Page 1 of 11 RaboDirect PRO12 PREVIEW 2012/13 Round Nine: 23rd – 25th November 2012 EDINBURGH RUGBY v OSPREYS At Murrayfield , 7.05pm. Live on Referee: David Wilkinson (IRFU, 16th competition game) Assistant Referees: David Changleng, Adrian Graves (both SRU) Citing Commissioner: Joihn Kirk (SRU) TMO: Iain Heard (SRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue E O Edinburgh Rugby scorers Ospreys scorers Sun 4 Oct 09 Liberty Stadium 10 31 Phil Godman(C/P) Tim Visser(T) Dan Biggar(4C/P) Tommy Bowe(T) Lee Byrne(T) Ryan Jones(T) Jonathan Thomas(T) Sun 7 Mar 10 Murrayfield 33 17 David Blair(C) Ben Cairns(T) Phil Dan Biggar(C) Jerry Collins(T) Sonny Godman(3C) Mark Robertson(T) Tim Parker(T) Nikki Walker(T) Visser(3T) Sat 4 Dec 10 Liberty Stadium 16 33 David Blair(C/2P) Chris Paterson(P) Dan Biggar(C/D/6P) Justin Tipuric(T) Tim Visser(T) Richard Fussell(T) Sat 26 Mar 11 Murrayfield 23 16 Greig Laidlaw(2C/3P) Jim Dan Biggar(T/C/3P) Thompson(T) Tim Visser(T) Sat 10 Sep 11 Liberty Stadium 19 26 Greig Laidlaw(C/4P) Tim Visser(T) Dan Biggar(2C/4P) Justin Tipuric(T) Rhys Webb(T) Fri 10 Feb 12 Murrayfield 14 15 Dougie Fife(T) Phil Godman(3P) Dan Biggar(C/D) Hanno Dirksen(T) Richard Hibbard(T) Edinburgh Rugby have lost their last seven encounters in all competitions since overcoming Zebre 41-10 at Murrayfield in the RaboDirect PRO12 on 14 September. Edinburgh’s only win over a Welsh region in their last four such fixtures was 21-19 over Cardiff Blues at the Arms Park on 7 September. Ospreys, the reigning RaboDirect PRO12 champions, have got their defence back on track courtesy of five successive victories in the tournament. Ospreys have won just one of their last four matches against Scottish opponents. Ospreys achieved the season’s double over Edinburgh in 2011/12, claiming a win at Murrayfield for the first time since 2007 in the process. GLASGOW WARRIORS v LEINSTER At Scotstoun Stadium , 7.35pm. Live on Referee: Neil Hennessey (WRU, 13th competition game) Assistant Referees: Andy Macpherson, Bob Nevins (both SRU) Citing Commissioner:Iain Goodall (SRU) TMO: Andy Ireland (SRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue G L Glasgow Warriors scorers Leinster scorers Fri 23 Apr 10 Firhill Stadium 30 6 Rob Dewey(2T) Bernardo Stortoni(T) Ian Madigan(2P) Dan Parks(3C/3P) Fri 3 Sep 10 Firhill Stadium 22 19 Duncan Weir(C/D/P) DTH van der Dominic Ryan(T) Isaac Boss(T) Merwe(T) Ruaridh Jackson(3P) Fergus McFadden(2P) Isa Nacewa(P) Fri 6 May 11 Royal Dublin Society 3 38 Duncan Weir(P) Dominic Ryan(T) Gordon D'Arcy(T) Shane Horgan(T) Kevin McLaughlin(T) Fergus McFadden(3C/4P) Sat 17 Sep 11 Royal Dublin Society 23 19 Pete Horne(T) Duncan Weir(C/2P) Ian Madigan(T) Isa Nacewa(C/4P) Nick Campbell(T) Scott Wight(C/P) Sat 25 Feb 12 Firhill Stadium 10 10 Ruaridh Jackson(C/P) Penalty Try(T) Ian Madigan(C) Isa Nacewa(P) Heinke van der Merwe(T) Sat 12 May 12 Royal Dublin Society 15 19 Duncan Weir(P) Stuart Hogg(T) Dave Kearney(T) Jonathan (PO) Ruaridh Jackson(C) Dougie Hall(T) Sexton(C/4P) Page 2 of 11 RaboDirect PRO12 PREVIEW 2012/13 Round Nine: 23rd – 25th November 2012 Glasgow Warriors are going for a new Warriors record in the history of this competition - seven successive wins. However Glasgow’s only wins in their last nine encounters with Irish provinces have both been over Connacht. Leinster’s four game winning run in all competitions ended at Ospreys in round eight of the RaboDirect PRO12. The Leinstermen have not been defeated by a team from Scotland since Glasgow won 23-19 at the RDS on 17 September 2011. The Warriors have lost just once at home to Leinster since 2007: 23-16 in the European Cup at Firhill in January 2012. NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS v CONNACHT At Rodney Parade, 7pm. Referee: Giuseppe Vivarini (FIR, 4th competition game) Assistant Referees: James Jones, Kevin Shorte (both WRU) Citing Commissioner: Ray Walton (WRU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue N C Newport Gwent Dragons scorers Connacht scorers Sat 3 Oct 09 Rodney Parade 23 10 Joe Bearman(T) Jamie Harris(T) Miah Nikora(T/C/P) James Arlidge(C/2P) Shaun Connor(C/P) Wed 17 Mar 10 Sportsground 3 16 Jason Tovey(P) Fionn Carr(T) Ian Keatley(C/3P) Sat 4 Sep 10 Sportsground 17 40 Will Harries(T) Matthew Jones(4P) Sean Cronin(T) Ian Keatley(T/4C/4P) Ray Ofisa Treviranus(T) Penalty Try(T) Thu 6 Jan 11 Rodney Parade 17 16 Jason Tovey(2C/P) Aled Brew(T) Ian Keatley(C/3P) Troy Nathan(T) Tom Riley(T) Fri 23 Sep 11 Sportsground 13 17 Jason Tovey(C/2P) Nathan Matthew Jarvis(2C) Gavin Duffy(T) Williams(T) Niall O'Connor(P) Eoin Griffin(T) Fri 30 Mar 12 Rodney Parade 19 27 Toby Faletau(T) Lewis Robling(4P) Fetu'u Vainikolo(2T) Miah Steffan Jones(C) Nikora(C/5P) Newport Gwent Dragons have slipped to seven straight defeats in all competitions – their worst sequence since the region was formed in 2003. Dragons have not overcome an Irish province since beating Ulster 22-9 at Rodney Parade in the RaboDirect PRO12 on 30 September 2011. Connacht beat Treviso 18-3 in round eight and are attempting back to back PRO12 victories for the first time since April. Connacht’s only away wins in 2012 in all competitions have come at Zebre (twice) and today’s opponents the Dragons at Rodney Parade in March. Connacht achieved the season’s double over the Men from Gwent in 2011/12. Sunday 25 November MUNSTER v SCARLETS At Musgrave Park , 5.15pm. Live on Referee: Laurent Cardona (FFR, 1st competition game) Assistant Referees: M Patton, Eanna O’Dowd (both IRFU) Citing Commissioner: John West (IRFU) TMO: Seamus Flannery (IRFU) HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT RaboDirect PRO12 MEETINGS Date Venue M S Munster scorers Scarlets scorers Sat 19 Sep 09 Parc y Scarlets 22 20 Denis Hurley(2T) Jeremy Mark Jones(T) Deacon Manu(T) Rhys Manning(2C/P) Toby Morland(T) Priestland(2C/P) Dan Evans(P) Thu 18 Mar 10 Musgrave Park 23 17 Paul Warwick(2C/3P) James Rhys Priestland(T/4P) Coughlan(T) Jean de Villiers(T) Sun 21 Nov 10 Musgrave Park 27 26 Paul Warwick(T/3C/2P) Barry Jon Edwards(2T) Rhys Murphy(T) Sam Tuitupou(T) Priestland(2C/4P) Page 3 of 11 RaboDirect PRO12 PREVIEW 2012/13 Round Nine: 23rd – 25th November 2012 Sat 16 Apr 11 Parc y Scarlets 13 6 Paul Warwick(C/2P) Simon Zebo(T) Rhys Priestland(2P) Sat 17 Sep 11 Musgrave Park 35 12 Ian Keatley(3C/3P) Doug Howlett(T) Dale Ford(P) Dan Newton(3P) Tommy O'Donnell(T) Penalty Try(T) Duncan Williams(T) Sat 21 Apr 12 Parc y Scarlets 20 20 Ian Keatley(2C/2P) Donnacha Aaron Shingler(T) Sean Lamont(T) Ryan(T) Simon Zebo(T) Rhys Priestland(2C/2P) Munster have won their last three games in all competitions.