GUINNESS PRO12: Round 5 Preview

Round 5 is the second of four successive weekends of GUINNESS PRO12 rugby, and the three unbeaten teams in the competition are still at the top of the table.

However, the positions have switched thanks to Munster picking up a bonus point in their five-try victory over Cardiff Blues last time out. Anthony Foley’s men again face Welsh opposition this weekend but this time away to the Scarlets, the team whose position they overtook at the top of the table. Someone’s 100% record will have to go.

The other unbeaten side in the table, Edinburgh, face a trip to Italy to play Zebre on Saturday the same time as fourth-placed Connacht face the Ospreys. Edinburgh and Connacht are equal on points thanks to the westerners’ picking up four bonus points to date but having lost a game in round 2.

Prior to that on Friday evening, current champions Glasgow Warriors face the 2013/14 winners Leinster at the RDS in a repeat of the final that gave Leinster that trophy. Only one point separates the teams in the table, the Warriors having picked up a bonus point in each of their two losses while Leinster could claim only one.  
 
The remaining games in round 5 see Ulster face Cardiff Blues while the Newport Gwent Dragons welcome Benetton Treviso.

Ulster and the Dragons both have good home records, with the province in fact looking to equal their best ever unbeaten home run. Notably, the Blues and Treviso have struggled away from home. However, on any given day, every team is capable of upsetting the form books – the question is which one will it be in round 5?

GUINNESS PRO12 – ROUND 5 FIXTURES:

Friday, October 23 –

LEINSTER (7th) v Glasgow Warriors (6th), the RDS, 7.45pm (live Sky Sports 2 HD)

Newport Gwent Dragons (9th) v Benetton Treviso (11th), Rodney Parade, 7.15pm

Scarlets (2nd) v MUNSTER (1st), Parc y Scarlets, 7.05pm (live TG4/BBC 2 Wales)

ULSTER (5th) v Cardiff Blues (8th), Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland)

Saturday, October 24 –

Ospreys (10th) v CONNACHT (4th), Liberty Stadium, 1.30pm (live S4C)

Zebre (12th) v Edinburgh (3rd), Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 2.30pm local time (live Rai Sport)