GUINNESS PRO12: Round 11 Preview

Sell-out crowds at Munster, Connacht, the Newport Gwent Dragons and Scarlets along with the biggest ever attendance for a GUINNESS PRO12 game in Scotland – and a near sell out in Parma – were rewarded with some enthralling and riveting local derbies played over the Christmas period.

Now, the festivities continue next weekend with six more cracking local match-ups lined up to ring in the New Year in round 11 of the GUINNESS PRO12.
 
Both Welsh derbies take place on New Year’s Day, Cardiff Blues hosting the Scarlets and the Newport Gent Dragons travelling west to Swansea to face the Ospreys. The table-topping Scarlets will be wary of their hosts, who are building an impressive home record, while the Llanelli outfit have not won at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park for three years.

The Ospreys have a good home record against fellow Welsh regions in the PRO12, with the Dragons themselves being the last local adversaries to win there back in 2010.
 
Also on New Year’s Day, it is third versus second as Leinster welcome Connacht to the RDS, a ground where the visitors have never won. Coming on the back of two successive losses, Connacht’s task is made harder by the fact that Leinster have lost just once at the venue in the league since March 2013.

Another sell-out crowd is already guaranteed at Scotstoun Stadium on Saturday for the second leg of the 1872 Cup clash between Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh. Their 23-11 victory in the reverse of this fixture not only gave Edinburgh a 12-point lead in their quest to retain the cup, but also lifted them to fifth place in the PRO12 table, the highest position they have held since round 5.
 
Here in Ireland, Ulster and Munster face off at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Both have a won six, lost four record so far in this season’s league, however Ulster are ahead of their rivals, taking the final play-off spot courtesy of gaining more try-scoring bonus points.
 
The round wraps up in Treviso on Sunday with Zebre aiming for a first ever season’s double over Benetton Treviso, having secured a last-minute triumph against their fellow countrymen last weekend.
 
The GUINNESS PRO12 final will take place at BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh on Saturday, May 28. See www.pro12rugby.com for ticket details.

GUINNESS PRO12 – ROUND 11 FIXTURES:

Friday, January 1 –

Ospreys (8th) v Newport Gwent Dragons (10th), Liberty Stadium, 2pm (live BBC 2 Wales)

Cardiff Blues (9th) v Scarlets (1st), BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, 5pm (live S4C)

LEINSTER (3rd) v CONNACHT (2nd), the RDS, 5pm (live TG4)

Saturday, January 2 –

ULSTER (4th) v MUNSTER (6th), Kingspan Stadium, 3pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD)

Glasgow Warriors (7th) v Edinburgh (5th), Scotstoun Stadium, 5.15pm (live Sky Sports 2 HD)

Sunday, January 3 –

Benetton Treviso (12th) v Zebre (11th), Stadio di Monigo, 2.30pm local time (live Rai Sport)