RaboDirect PRO12: Round 7 Preview

Having had the wealth of five fixtures to choose from last Friday night, there are only two games this Friday in round 7 – Edinburgh host Zebre, while the Newport Gwent Dragons face reigning RaboDirect PRO12 champions Leinster.

Zebre are the second Italian opponents to travel to the Scottish capital in succession, but will hope to come away with more than just the losing bonus point their compatriots, Benetton Treviso, gained last weekend.

Leinster are just one place above their round 7 opponents, the Dragons, and as they head towards the November international break, so they will be keen to secure as many points as possible from their trip to Rodney Parade.

The pick of the games on Saturday is the top of the table clash at Thomond Park between three-times league champions Munster and four-time winners the Ospreys.

Munster currently lead the pack thanks to winning one more game than the Ospreys, but the Swansea-based side have garnered more bonus points in the six rounds to date than their hosts, so the scene is set for an epic battle.

Elsewhere on Saturday, the eighth-placed Cardiff Blues host ninth-ranked Treviso at the Arms Park. The teams are level on ten points each so victory for either strikes a blow to their nearest rivals.

Ulster are the visitors to Parc y Scarlets in a reverse of last season’s semi-final, a game that the visitors won by an 11-point margin. However, having drawn their last two games in all competitions, the Scarlets will be keen to get back to winning ways.

The final game sees the early season pacesetters, Glasgow Warriors, face a team sitting at the wrong end of the table, Connacht.

With the two teams above them in the table playing each other, the Warriors have the chance to make up the ground they lost in their last outing when beaten at home by Munster.

RABODIRECT PRO12 – ROUND 7 FIXTURES:

Friday, November 1 –

Newport Gwent Dragons (6th) v LEINSTER (5th), Rodney Parade, 7.05pm (live RTÉ Two/BBC 2 Wales)

Edinburgh (10th) v Zebre (11th), Murrayfield, 7.45pm

Saturday, November 2 –

Cardiff Blues (8th) v Benetton Treviso (9th), Cardiff Arms Park, 2.30pm

CONNACHT (12th) v Glasgow Warriors (3rd), the Sportsground, 5pm

Scarlets (7th) v ULSTER (4th), Parc y Scarlets, 6.30pm (live BBC Sport NI website/S4C)

MUNSTER (1st) v Ospreys (2nd), Thomond Park, 7.15pm (live TG4)