GUINNESS PRO12: Round 9 Preview

The GUINNESS PRO12 season continues to go from strength-to-strength as round 8 saw all 12 teams maintain the record-setting pace when it came to scoring tries.

Already 247 tries have been scored in 47 matches which averages out at over five tries a game and supporters are clearly reacting to the action on the pitch with an increase in attendances reported this season as well as a 25% surge in broadcast viewers.
 
After round 8, four-time champions Leinster have cemented their place at the top of the table with a bonus point win over Zebre where Adam Byrne scored a hat-trick of tries. The province are three points clear of arch rivals Munster, who are second, while the chasing pack includes four former title winners in the Ospreys, Glasgow Warriors, Ulster and the Scarlets.

A number of intriguing fixtures take place this weekend starting with Cardiff Blues’ trip to face Connacht in Galway. Danny Wilson’s men are looking to recover their form after falling off in recent rounds against a Connacht side desperate to get themselves back in the hunt for a top six place.

Ulster will look to arrest their three-game losing streak when they host Zebre, while the Scarlets entertain Leinster with the Welsh region eager to continue their run of victories at Parc y Scarlets.
 
With autumn internationals taking place this weekend, Munster will take on Benetton Treviso at Thomond Park on Saturday, while the Newport Gwent Dragons go up against Edinburgh on Sunday. The Welsh-Scottish clash comes after both sides upset Irish provinces (Connacht and Ulster) in round 8.

GUINNESS PRO12 – ROUND 9 FIXTURES:
 
Friday, November 25 –

CONNACHT (10th) v Cardiff Blues (7th), the Sportsground, 7.35pm (live TG4)

ULSTER (5th) v Zebre (11th), Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/Eurosport)

Glasgow Warriors (4th) v Ospreys (3rd), Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm (live Sky Sports 2 HD)

Scarlets (6th) v LEINSTER (1st), Parc y Scarlets, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Wales)

Saturday, November 26 –

MUNSTER (2nd) v Benetton Treviso (12th), Thomond Park, 2pm

Sunday, November 27 –

Newport Gwent Dragons (9th) v Edinburgh (8th), Rodney Parade, 3.30pm (live S4C)

TOP PERFORMERS IN GUINNESS PRO12 AFTER ROUND 8 (Powered by Opta Statistics):

TOP POINTS SCORERS –

Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) 61
Steve Shingler (Cardiff Blues) 52
Sam Davies (Ospreys) 51
Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster) 48
Isa Nacewa (Leinster) 47

TOP TRY SCORERS –

Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 7
Tom James (Cardiff Blues) 5
Ben John (Ospreys) 5
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) 4
Niyi Adeolokun (Connacht) 4
Sam Parry (Ospreys) 4
Adam Byrne (Leinster) 4

TOP TRY ASSISTS –

Sam Davies (Ospreys) 6
Josh Matavesi (Ospreys) 4
Rhys Webb (Ospreys) 4
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) 4
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 4
Duncan Williams (Munster) 4

METRES GAINED –

Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) 634
Dan Evans (Ospreys) 546
Tom James (Cardiff Blues) 500
Matthew Morgan (Cardiff Blues) 481
Liam Williams (Scarlets) 467

MOST CARRIES –

Bundee Aki (Connacht) 94
Ed Jackson (Newport Gwent Dragons) 87
CJ Stander (Munster) 82
Olly Cracknell (Ospreys) 76
Rey Lee-Lo (Cardiff Blues) 75

CLEAN BREAKS –

Tom James (Cardiff Blues) 13
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 12
Darren Sweetnam (Munster) 12
Steffan Evans (Scarlets) 12
Dan Evans (Ospreys) 10

DEFENDERS BEATEN –

Ben John (Ospreys) 27
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 27
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) 26
Steffan Evans (Scarlets) 25
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 21
Rey Lee-Lo (Cardiff Blues) 21

MOST PASSES –

Ruan Pienaar (Ulster) 633
Caolin Blade (Connacht) 382
Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues) 372
Rhys Webb (Ospreys) 370
Tom Habberfield (Ospreys) 366

MOST OFFLOADS –

Rey Lee-Lo (Cardiff Blues) 13
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 13
Josh Matavesi (Ospreys) 12
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 11
Noel Reid (Leinster) 10

KICKS FROM HAND –

Carlo Canna (Zebre) 92
Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) 89
Sam Davies (Ospreys) 79
Duncan Weir (Edinburgh) 77
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster) 65
Tommaso Allan (Benetton Treviso) 65

MOST TACKLES –

Sean Reidy (Ulster) 112
Billy Holland (Munster) 102
Lewis Evans (Newport Gwent Dragons) 96
Nic Cudd (Newport Gwent Dragons) 92
Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 86

LINEOUTS WON –

Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 42
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) 34
Dries van Schalkwyk (Zebre) 31
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) 25
Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 24

TURNOVERS WON –

James Davies (Scarlets) 10
Jack O’Donoghue (Munster) 9
Dan Leavy (Leinster) 9
John Barclay (Scarlets) 7
Tommaso Castello (Zebre) 7
Billy Holland (Munster) 7
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) 7

For more statistics, please visit www.pro12rugby.com/powered-by-opta