GUINNESS PRO12: Semi-Finals Preview
The GUINNESS PRO12 semi-finals kick off this weekend with Leinster v Ulster on Friday and Connacht v Glasgow Warriors on Saturday.
An all-Irish affair at a packed RDS on Friday night will see four-time champions Leinster host the 2005/06 winners Ulster. Leinster started the season as low as tenth, but climbed into the top four after round six and remained there for rest of the season.
Ulster, who had dropped in and out of the top four over the course of the season, finally secured their play-off spot with an impressive round 22 victory away to the Ospreys.
Connacht, who made the knockout stages for the first time having led the table for six of the 22 rounds, will be looking for a repeat of their round 22 win over reigning champions Glasgow Warriors when the two meet again at the sold-out Sportsground in Galway.
All four teams will have their eye on the ultimate prize, a place in the GUINNESS PRO12 final at Murrayfield on Saturday week, so there is all to play for but only one captain can eventually lift the trophy.
Both semi-finals have now sold out but tickets for the PRO12 decider at BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh on Saturday week at 5.30pm can still be purchased – visit www.pro12rugby.com for details.
GUINNESS PRO12 – SEMI-FINALS:
Friday, May 20 –
LEINSTER (1st) v ULSTER (4th), the RDS, 7.45pm (live Sky Sports 3 HD/TG4/BBC 2 Northern Ireland)
Saturday, May 21 –
CONNACHT (2nd) v GLASGOW WARRIORS (3rd), the Sportsground, 6.30pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD/TG4/BBC Alba/Scotland)