Preview: Pro12, Round 21
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Whilst the four teams that will contest the 2014/15 Pro12 play-offs are now known – Glasgow Warriors, Munster, Ulster and Ospreys – it is still not confirmed which teams will have a home draw.
In addition there are three automatic 2015/16 European Champions Cup places still up for grabs along with a further play-off spot to compete against English and French opposition for the remaining place in the top tier of next season’s European competition, so there is still plenty to play for in Round 21.
This is the 6th year of the Pro12 title being decided by a play-off and Glasgow Warriors have missed out only once, they are now aiming for a second successive home play-off.
Munster have also only missed out just once, but they have only been at home once before, when they went on to lift the trophy in 2010/11.
This is the fourth time Ulster have reached the play-offs but like their provincial rival they too have only once been seeded at home.
This will be Ospreys first appearance in the play-offs since 2011/12, having finished fifth in the table for the last two
years.
"We're really proud to be the only Welsh side confirmed for the Champions Cup and to be involved in the play-offs, but we know that there is a lot of work still to be done," said Ospreys' coach Steve Tandy.
"The first challenge is a very good Glasgow side that has had the better of us recently.
"If we are able to put in the required level of performance on Friday then we could be going to Connacht targeting a potential home semifinal."
As it stands a bonus point victory by Warriors on Friday will see them claim a home play-off, if other results go their way it could be less, but that will not be confirmed until Ulster play Munster the following day.
Should Ospreys claim a home victory however the placings could go down to the wire the following weekend.
The race for the Italian qualification is still very much on, leaving two direct qualification spots for the Champions Cup next season to be filled along with a further place in the qualifying round involving Premiership and Top 14 opponents.
There are four candidates left to claim those three places – Leinster, Scarlets, Edinburgh and Connacht – so one will definitely miss out.
With Italian teams lying in 11th and 12 place, in effect the seventh placed Pro12 team will play the Challenge Cup winners, Gloucester, with the winner of that game facing the seventh placed Top 14 team to contest the final Champions Cup place. These matches will be played on the weekends of the Pro12 play-offs and final.
We look at all the Round 21 matches.
Friday May, 8
Newport Gwent Dragons v Edinburgh
(Rodney Parade, Newport – Kick-off: 19.30; 18.30 GMT)
Newport Gwent Dragons’ 10-29 defeat to the Scarlets on "Judgement Day" ended a three game winning run in t
he Pro12. Dragons have won their last three matches at Rodney Parade in all competitions since losing there to Connacht in the Pro12 inFebruary.
The Men from Gwent have lost their last five encounters with Scottish sides in all tournaments.
Edinburgh narrowly missed out on winning a first piece of European silverware with their 13-19 defeat by Gloucester at Twickenham Stoop on Friday. The Scotsmen’s only loss in their last four Pro12 matches came at home to Munster in Round 19.
Edinburgh have won their last three away games in all tournaments, and have lost just once in their last seven encounters with Welsh opposition.
The two sides have already met twice this season, with Edinburgh taking both victories, in Round Six of the Pro12 in October, and the semifinal of the European Challenge Cup in April, both at Murrayfield.
Dragons have not beaten Edinburgh in any tournament since the Scotsmen’s’ visited to Rodney Parade in the Pro12 in September 2012.
Teams:
Dragons: 15 Tom Prydie, 14 Ashton Hewitt, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Luc Jones, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Nic Cudd, 6 Nick Crosswell, 5 Rynard Landman , 4 Cory Hill, 3 Brok Harris, 2 T. Rhys Thomas (captain), 1 Phil Price.
Replacements: 16 Hugh Gustafson, 17 Lloyd Fairbrother, 18 Dan Way, 19 James Thomas, 20 Ollie Griffiths, 21 Richie Rees, 22 Dorian Jones, 23 Geraint Rhys Jones.
Edinburgh: 15 Jack Cuthbert, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Sam Beard 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Phil Burleigh, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 Cornell Du Preez, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Stuart McInally (captain), 5 Ben Toolis, 4 Fraser McKenzie, 3 WP Nel, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.
Replacements: 16 Neil Cochrane, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 John Andress, 19 Anton Bresler, 20 Roddy Grant, 21 Nathan Fowles, 22 Tom Heathcote, 23 Carl Tom Brown.
Referee: Gary Conway (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Rhys Thomas (Wales), Gwyn Morris (Wales)
TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)
Leinster v Benneton Treviso
(RDS Arena, Dubline – Kick-off: 19.35; 18.35 GMT)
Leinster have obtained only two victories from their last 10 matches in all tournaments since mid-January – at home to Zebre in Round 15 of the Pro12 and against Bath in the quarterfinal of the European Champions Cup in April.
The Leinstermen have lost just one of their last 11 home games in all competitions: 14-16 to Newport Gwent Dragons in February. Leinster’s most recent defeat to an Italian opponent came on a trip to Treviso in the Pro12 in September 2010.
Benetton Treviso have lost their last five Guinness Pro12 matches and conceded a try bonus point in each one. The Italian’s only victory on the road in the Pro12 this season came when they visited Zebre in December.
The two sides shared a 24-24 draw when they met at Stadio Monigo in Round 8, whilst Treviso’s five previous visits to Dublin in all tournaments have all ended in heavy defeats, conceding a try bonus on four of those occasions.
Teams:
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Zane Kirchner, 13 Ben Te'o, 12 Ian Madigan, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip (captain), 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Jordi Murphy, 5 Mike McCarthy, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Jack McGrath.
Replacements: 16 Aaron Dundon, 17 Michael Bent, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Tom Denton, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Gordon D'Arcy, 23 Darragh Fanning.
Benetton Treviso: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Andrea Pratichetti, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Enrico Bacchin, 11 Ludovico Nitoglia, 10 Sam Christie, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Mat Luamanu, 7 Nicola Cattina, 6 Paul Derbyshire, 5 Corniel Van Zyl (captain), 4 Marco Fuser, 3 Rupert Harden, 2 Davide Giazzon, 1 Matteo Zanusso.
Replacements: 16 Albert Anae, 17 Romulo Acosta, 18 Salesi Manu, 19 Meyer Swanepoel, 20 Francesco Minto, 21 Marco Lazzaroni, 22 Angelo Esposito, 23 James Ambrosini.
Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Leo Colgan (Ireland), Ken Imbusch (Ireland)
TMO: Jude Quinn (Ireland)
Ospreys v Glasgow Warriors
(Liberty Stadium, Swansea – Kick-off: 19.35; 18.35 GMT)
Ospreys have won their last four Pro12 matches and have not been defeated in the tournament since Glasgow lowered their colours at Scotstoun in Round 15. Ospreys are one of three teams to be undefeated at home in the Pro12 this season – the others being Ulster and Glasgow Warriors.
Ospreys have not lost in the Pro12 at Liberty Stadium since Munster were the visitors in February 2014.
Glasgow Warriors have lost just one of their last eight Pro12 fixtures: 10-22 to Munster in Cork in Round 16, but still remain the second best away side in the Pro12 this season. The Warriors lost 9-19 at Scarlets last November on their most recent visit to Wales.
Glasgow have won their last seven matches against Ospreys since the Welsh region were triumphant 37-6 at Liberty Stadium in March 2011.
Teams:
Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Jeff Hassler, 13 Ben John, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Dan Baker, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 James King, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 4 Tyler Ardron, 3 Aaron Jarvis, 2 Scott Baldwin, 1 Nicky Smith.
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Marc Thomas, 18 Dmitri Arhip, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 Dan Lydiate, 21 Tom Habberfield, 22 Sam Davies, 23 Jonathan Spratt.
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Richie Vernon, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Niko Matawalu, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Henry Pyrgos, 8 Josh Strauss (Captain), 7 Chris Fusaro, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Jon Welsh , 2 Pat MacArthur, 1 Ryan Grant.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Euan Murray, 19 Leone Nakarawa, 20 Ryan Wilson, 21 Lee Jones, 22 Fraser Lyle, 23 Peter Murchie.
Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Neil Hennessy (Wales), Martyn Lewis (Wales)
TMO: Derek Bevan (Wales)
Saturday May, 9
Ulster v Munster
(Kinspan Stadium, Belfast – Kick-off: 14.40; 13.40 GMT)
Ulster are the best home side in the Pro12 having won all 10 games in Belfast and tallied 44 league points in the process. Ulster’s only defeat in the last eight rounds of Pro12 rugby came on a trip to Newport Gwent Dragons in March.
Munster have also suffered just one defeat in their last eight Pro12 encounters: 12-26 at Ospreys in Round 17. The Munstermen are the tournament’s best away team having picked up 30 league points on the road this season.
Munster’s only defeat to a fellow Irish province this season came when they visited Connacht on New Year’s Day.
Munster were victorious 21-20 when the two sides met in Limerick in Round 9, and have not achieved a season’s double over the Ulstermen since season 2010/11, which was also the only occasion the Munstermen have been victorious in Belfast since 2007.
Teams:
Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Jared Payne, 12 Darren Cave, 11 Peter Nelson, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Francois van der Merwe, 4 Dan Tuohy, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Bronson Ross, 19 Robbie Diack, 20 Clive Ross, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Ian Humphreys, 23 Stuart McCloskey.
Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Keith Earls, 13 Andrew Smith, 12 Denis Hurley, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 6 Peter O'Mahony (captain), 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Donnacha Ryan, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Eusebio Guinazu, 1 Dave Kilcoyne.
Replacements: 16 Duncan Casey, 17 John Ryan, 18 BJ Botha, 19 Billy Holland, 20 Jack O'Donoghue, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 JJ Hanrahan, 23 Ronan O'Mahony.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Dudley Phillips (Ireland), Nigel Correll (Ireland)
TMO: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)
Zebra v Connacht
(Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma – Kick-off: 18.30 ; 16.30 GMT)
Zebre are still chasing down the Italian European Champions Cup spot for next season but their only victory since Round 9 came at home to Newport Gwent Dragons in March.
In 27 previous fixtures against Irish provinces in all tournaments the Italians have won just once: at home to Ulster in September 2014.
Connacht have lost their last five matches in all tournaments since beating Treviso in Galway 53-5 in March.
Connacht have won their last seven matches against Italian opponents in all competitions.
The two sides have met on nine previous occasions in all competitions with Connacht being victorious every time – the last twice with a try bonus.
Teams:
Zebre: 15 Dion Berryman, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Matteo Pratichetti, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Michele Visentin, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Andries Van Schalkwyk, 7 Mauro Bergamasco (captain), 6 Filippo Cristiano, 5 Valerio Bernabò, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Dario Chistolini, 2 Andrea Manici, 1 Matias Aguero.
Replacements: 16 Oliviero Fabiani, 17 Andrea De Marchi, 18 Luca Redolfini, 19 Andrei Mahu, 20 Jacopo Sarto, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Alberto Chillon, 23 Mirco Bergamasco.
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 John Cooney, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Eoghan Masterson, 6 John Muldoon (captain), 5 Aly Muldowney, 4 Ultan Dillane, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 JP Cooney, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Andrew Browne, 20 George Naoupu, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Conor McKeon, 23 Darragh Leader.
Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Elia Rizzo (Italy), Filippo Bertelli (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Penne (Italy)
Scarlets v Cardiff Blues
(Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli – Kick-off: 18.30 ; 16.30 GMT)
Scarlets solitary defeat in the last four rounds of Pro12 play came at home to Edinburgh in March, in their most recent home game. Scarlets have not lost two games in a row in the Pro12 in the same season at Parc y Scarlets since December 2009.
Since April 2010 fellow Welsh regions have visited the venue on sixteen occasions with the only three victories all being obtained by Ospreys.
Cardiff Blues have lost their last four matches in all tournaments since beating Connacht 18-17 at home in March. The Blues have picked up just 11 league points on the road this season, only the two Italian sides have had a poorer return away from home.
Cardiff Blues were victorious 21-9 when the two sides met in Round 10 of the Pro12 but have not achieved a season’s double over their western neighbours since 2009/10. The capital side’s only previous Pro12 victory in Llanelli came in April 2010 at Parc y Scarlets.
Teams:
Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Hadleigh Parkes, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Aled Davies, 8 John Barclay, 7 James Davies, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Lewis Rawlins, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Peter Edwards, 2 Ken Owens (captain), 1 Phil John.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 George Earle, 20 Rory Pitman, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Steven Shingler, 23 Adam Warren.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Gareth Anscombe, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Garyn Smith, 12 Gavin Evans, 11 Joaquin Tuculet, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Josh Navidi, 7 Sam Warburton, 6 Josh Turnbull, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Craig Mitchell, 2 Matthew Rees (captain), 1 Thomas Davies.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Lou Reed, 20 Manoa Vosawai, 21Tavis Knoyle, 22 Tom Isaacs, 23 Richard Smith.
Referee: John Lacey (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales), Wayne Davies (Wales)
TMO: Tim Hayes (Wales)
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