GUINNESS PRO14: Round 12 Preview

Played in front of a record crowd of 23,833 at BT Murrayfield, the 1872 Cup tie saw late, late drama as Edinburgh’s Chris Dean touched down to end Glasgow Warriors’ 10-game unbeaten start to the season, a result which also ended the visitors’ hopes of equalling Ulster’s record of 11 wins to start a Championship campaign.

The sides meet again at Scotstoun Stadium this weekend where a second victory for Edinburgh would secure the 1872 Cup, however, Glasgow will aim to rebound and ensure the fight for the famous trophy stretches out to their round 21 clash in April.

Like Edinburgh, reigning champions, the Scarlets, also overcame a red card and produced a winner in the final moments of their game against the Ospreys, while the Dragons almost completed a famous comeback against Cardiff Blues as the Welsh derbies produced some riveting action in front of sell-out crowds. An attendance of 26,267 at Thomond Park set a record for the highest figure at the Limerick venue across all competitions in the professional era.

Once more, the Italian derby between Zebre and Benetton Rugby will get the action up and running in round 12. Zebre were unfortunate to fall away in Treviso last weekend after playing much of the second half with 14 players and will have home advantage to strike back. Both teams will be feeling the pressure to produce a result and keep themselves in the hunt for the Champions Cup play-off spot in their respective conferences.

With their unbeaten run at an end, Glasgow’s rematch with Edinburgh at Scotstoun presents more than an opportunity for revenge. Firstly, they must ensure the 1872 Cup goes to the third derby game in round 21, while they must also work to keep Munster at bay in second place.

Dave Rennie’s men lead last season’s beaten finalists by 12 points in Conference A, however, in Conference B Edinburgh now have third-placed Ulster in their sights and there is no doubt that the games in Glasgow and Belfast (Ulster v Munster) will be heavily linked with each other.

On New Year’s Eve, Cardiff Blues and the Scarlets meet in the Welsh capital with both regions under pressure from the Irish provinces beneath them in their respective Conferences.

Due to the Toyota Cheetahs’ ineligibility for Europe, the Blues are currently in possession of an automatic Champions Cup place, however, they are ahead of Connacht by virtue of games won. Meanwhile, the Scarlets lead Leinster by just two points in Conference B with both sides determined to finish top of the pile in order to ensure home advantage in the GUINNESS PRO14 final series. With so much at stake, Cardiff v Scarlets should be a cracker.

The Dragons take on the Ospreys at Rodney Parade after a sell-out crowd saw them come so close to a result against Cardiff earlier this week. The Ospreys remain bottom of Conference A with just two wins so far and this derby will be vital to both teams who are eager to grab some momentum heading into 2018.

Leinster face Connacht in Dublin on the back of their spectacular 34-24 win over Munster in round 11, and with two derby games in a row at the RDS, Leo Cullen’s charges will not want to slip up as they chase the Scarlets hard for top billing in Conference B. Connacht will be full of confidence after their record 44-16 victory over Ulster at the Sportsground, and with some of the PRO14’s most exciting attacking talent on show, this encounter should provide plenty of entertainment.

In what will be another sell-out affair, this is a must-win match for Ulster and Munster as they collide at Kingspan Stadium with no margin for error. A loss for Ulster could see Leinster and the Scarlets stretch away at the top in Conference B, while providing Edinburgh with more encouragement in the chasing pack.

Likewise, Munster need to keep in sight of Glasgow Warriors and ensure that the Cheetahs do not usurp them in second place in Conference A after January’s back-to-back South African derbies.

This fixture in Belfast will also be a key battle for Irish players eager to impress Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt as the 2018 Six Nations Championship draws closer, and an uncompromising physical battle looks set to play out.