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Pro12: Top four comeback

With the top four teams all losing in the last round of the Pro12, there was very little movement in the Play-Off Zone.

 

Leinster were the only ones who took the place of their defeated visitors Ulster in fourth.

 

Whilst Ospreys maintained their position as leaders, the weekend's results saw a bunching up of the contenders and now just four points separate the top four teams in the table. 

 

Round 13 games are split evenly over the weekend; after their tussle for the 1872 Cup on January 2, both Scottish teams are in action Friday.

 

Winners Edinburgh travel to the Sportsground in Galway, where Connacht, who are seeking a first ever season's double over their visitors, are building an impressive home record.

 

Glasgow Warriors are another team who are difficult to beat on their own turf, Scarlets record there in the past is testimony to that.

 

The two leading Irish provinces, Munster and Leinster, are both away on Saturday, at Zebre and Cardiff Blues respectively.

 

Neither province has travelled well this season, but with both opponents resting in the lower half of the table, these could be the games to turn that luck around.

 

The round wraps up with the top Welsh and Italian teams both at home on Sunday.

 

Having missed the opportunity to pull clear at the top of the table after losing to Scarlets last time out, Ospreys will be anxious not to slip up again to another fellow region, Newport Gwent Dragons. 

 

Benetton Treviso's back-to back victories over rivals Zebre have put them in pole position for the Italian place in next season's European Champions Cup, but they will find Ulster tougher opponents as they go about that quest.

 

The Pro12 then takes a break for a couple of weeks whilst European competitions and the Six Nations take centre stage, but will be back with a full round of games on the weekend of February 13-15.

 

We look at all the Round 13 matches!

 

Glasgow Warrior v Scarlets

(Scotstoun Stadium – Kick-off: 19.35; 19.35 GMT)

 

Teams:

 

Glasgow: 15 Peter Murchie, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Alex Dunbar, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Niko Matawalu, 8 Josh Strauss (captain), 7 Ryan Wilson, 6 Leone Nakarawa, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Mike Cusack, 2 Pat MacArthur, 1 Jerry Yanuyanutawa.

Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Ryan Grant, 18 Euan Murray, 19 James Eddie, 20 Will Bordill, 21 Ali Price, 22 James Downey, 23 DTH van der Merwe.

 

Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Hadleigh Parkes, 13 Regan King, 12 Scott Williams (captain), 11 Michael Tagicakibau, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 John Barclay, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Johan Snyman, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Rob Evans.

Replacements: 16 Torin Myhill, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Peter Edwards, 19 George Earle, 20 Lewis Rawlins, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Steven Shingler, 23 Jordan Williams.

 

Referee: George Clancy (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland), Sam Grove White (Scotland)

TMO: David Changleng (Scotland)

 

Connacht v Edinburgh

(Sportsground – Kick-off: 19.35; 19.35 GMT)

 

Teams:

 

Connacht: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Darragh Leader, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Danie Poolman, 10 Miah Nikora, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Eoin McKeon, 7 Willie Faloon, 6 John Muldoon (captain), 5 Aly Muldowney, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Denis Buckley.

Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Ultan Dillane, 20 George Naoupu, 21 John Cooney, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Dave McSharry.

 

Edinburgh: 15 Jack Cuthbert, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 David Denton, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Roddy Grant, 5 Ben Toolis, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 WP Nel, 2 Ross Ford (captain), 1 Alasdair Dickinson.

Replacements: 16 Neil Cochrane, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 John Andress, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Tomas Leonardi, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Jade Te Rure, 23 Andries Strauss.

 

Referee: Leighton Hodges (Wales)

Assistant referees: Andy Brace (Ireland), Olly Hodges (Ireland)

TMO: Dermot Moloney (Ireland)

 

Cardiff Blues v Leinster 

(Cardiff Arms Park – Kick-off: 14.40; 14.40 GMT)

 

Teams:

 

Cardiff Blues: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Gavin Evans, 11 Lucas Amorosino, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tavis Knoyle, 8 Josh Navidi, 7 Sam Warburton, 6 Josh Turnbull, 5 Filo Paulo, 4 Lou Reed, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Gethin Jenkins (captain).

Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18Taufa'ao Filise, 19 Jarrad Hoeata, 20 Manoa Vosawai, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Adam Thomas.

 

Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney (captain), 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Ben Te'o, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Luke McGrath, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 Dominic Ryan, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Tom Denton, 3 Marty Moore, 2 Sean Cronin, 1 Michael Bent.

Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Jamie Hagan, 18 Tadhg Furlong, 19 Mike McCarthy, 20 Josh Van Der Flier, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Darragh Fanning.

 

Referee: Neil Paterson (Scotland)

Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Rhys Thomas (Wales)

TMO: Tim Hayes (Wales)

 

Zebre v Munster

(Stadio XXV Aprile – Kick-off: 16.00; 17.00 GMT)

 

Teams

 

Zebre: TBC

 

Munster: 15 Felix Jones, 14 Ronan O'Mahony, 13 Pat Howard, 12 JJ Hanrahan, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Conor Murray, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Peter O'Mahony (captain), 6 Dave O'Callaghan, 5 Billy Holland, 4 Dave Foley, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Kevin O'Byrne, 1 Eusebio Guinazu.

Replacements: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 James Cronin, 18 John Ryan, 19 Donncha O'Callaghan, 20 Paddy Butler, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 Keith Earls, 23 Johne Murphy.

 

Referee: Ian Davies (Wales)

Assistant referees: Matteo Liperini (Italy), Filippo Bertelli (Italy)

TMO: Stefano Pennè (Italy)

 

Benetton Treviso v Ulster

(Stadio Monigo – Kick-off: 15.00; 16.00 GMT)

 

Teams:

 

Treviso: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Andrea Pratichetti, 10 Sam Christie, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Dean Budd, 7 Alessandro Zanni (captian), 6 Marco Barbini, 5 Corniel Van Zyl, 4 Tomas Vallejos, 3 Rupert Harden, 2 Davide Giazzon, 1 Matteo Zanusso.

Replacements: 16 Albert Anae, 17 Josè Novak, 18 D'arcy Rae, 19 Marco Fuser, 20 Francesco Minto, 21 Meyer Swanepoel, 22 James Ambrosini, 23 Alberto Lucchese.

 

Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Roger Wilson, 7 Clive Ross, 6 Robbie Diack, 5 Dan Tuohy, 4 Alan O'Connor, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rory Best, 1 Callum Black.

Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Bronson Ross, 19 Louis Stevenson, 20 Sean Reidy, 21 Paul Marshall, 22 Jared Payne, 23 Peter Nelson.

 

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)

Assistant referees: Wayne Davies (Wales), Barrie Gregory (Wales)

TMO: Derek Bevan (Wales)

 

Ospreys v Newport Gwent Dragons

(Liberty Stadium – Kick-off: 16.00; 16.00 GMT)

 

Teams:

 

Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Richard Fussell, 13 Ashley Beck, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Tyler Aldron, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 4 James King, 3 Dmitri Arhip, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Duncan Jones.

Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Aaron Jarvis, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Martin Roberts, 22 Sam Davies, 23 Hanno Dirksen.

 

Dragons: 15 Tom Prydie, 14 Matthew Pewtner, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Jonathan Evans, 8 Taulupe Faletau. 7 Nic Cudd, 6 Lewis Evans, 5 Rynard Landman (captain), 4 Andrew Coombs, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Phil Price.

Replacements: 16 Rhys Buckley, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Matthew Screech, 20 James Thomas, 21 Richie Rees, 22 Dorian Jones, 23 Geraint Rhys Jones.

 

Referee: Dudley Phillips (Ireland)

Assistant referees: Nigel Owens (Wales), Martyn Lewis (Wales)

TMO: Gareth Simmonds (Wales)

 

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