GUINNESS PRO12: Round 1 Preview

The GUINNESS PRO12 launches back into action in style this weekend with three games on the opening Friday night. Last season’s beaten semi-finalists, Ulster and the Ospreys, face each other in Belfast, while over in Galway, Connacht also welcome Welsh opposition, the Newport Gwent Dragons this time making the trip west.

Ulster are building a formidable record at Kingspan Stadium but their visitors are the only Welsh side to have won there since 2010, whereas the Dragons face a much tougher task against Connacht, having not triumphed at the Sportsground since 2004.
 
Edinburgh start their 2015/16 campaign hosting Leinster at Meggetland as BT Murrayfield is unavailable. Historically Leinster have the better in these clashes, but the visitors are known for having a slow start to even their most successful campaigns.
 
Reigning GUINNESS PRO12 champions Glasgow Warriors, having returned from their pre-season trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia where they played the Canadian national team, face Welsh opposition when the Scarlets travel to Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday evening.
 
Munster, last season’s runners-up, are also in action on Saturday, welcoming Benetton Treviso to Irish Independent Park in Cork, a venue the hosts have not lost at in the PRO12 since January 2013.
 
The round wraps up in Cardiff on Sunday when the Blues take on Zebre at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park. This is a repeat of the last round fixture from the 2014/15 regular season and Cardiff will be looking for the same outcome. However, Zebre tasted victory at the ground almost two years ago.

GUINNESS PRO12 – ROUND 1 FIXTURES:

Friday, September 4 –

CONNACHT v Newport Gwent Dragons, the Sportsground, 7.30pm (live Galway Bay FM)

Edinburgh v LEINSTER, Meggetland, 7.35pm (live TG4/BBC ALBA)

ULSTER v Ospreys, Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/BBC 2 Wales)

Saturday, September 5 –

Glasgow Warriors v Scarlets, Scotstoun Stadium, 5.15pm (live Sky Sports 4 HD)

MUNSTER v Benetton Treviso, Irish Independent Park, 7.45pm (live TG4)

Sunday, September 6 –

Cardiff Blues v Zebre, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, 2.30pm (live S4C)