RaboDirect PRO12: Round 16 Preview
With just seven rounds left in the regular season of the RaboDirect PRO12, the race is really on for a top four finish and qualification for the play-offs.
In the pick of the games this weekend first plays second when leaders Ulster travel to face Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium on Friday night.
Glasgow are one of the league’s form teams at the moment, their 60-3 triumph over the Newport Gwent Dragons last time out was the biggest ever away win in the history of the competition.
However, the Ulstermen boast an impressive record against the Scots, so there will be all to play for in this encounter.
Close on their heels comes the third versus fourth placed match on Saturday when Leinster host the Scarlets at the RDS.
Currently there is just a three-point gap between the teams, so victory is a must for either side. Leinster could pull away from their nearest rivals, or should the result go the other way, the Scarlets could take over Leinster’s position in the table.
Just outside the top four, the Ospreys and Munster know that every game counts in their push for a play-off spot.
Having lost out on the road to Connacht in round 15, the Ospreys will be hoping to maintain their home record when they face Edinburgh on Friday night.
Munster, however, have won their last three away fixtures and must be hoping that their trip to Stadio di Monigo to take on Benetton Treviso will end better than it did two years ago when they suffered their only loss to the Italian outfit.
RABODIRECT PRO12 – ROUND 16 FIXTURES:
Friday, February 22 –
Cardiff Blues (7th) v CONNACHT (9th), Cardiff Arms Park, 7.30pm
Glasgow Warriors (2nd) v ULSTER (1st), Scotstoun Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/RTÉ Two/BBC ALBA)
Ospreys (5th) v Edinburgh (10th), Liberty Stadium, 8pm (live BBC 2 Wales)
Saturday, February 23 –
LEINSTER (3rd) v Scarlets (4th), the RDS, 7.45pm (live TG4)
Sunday, February 24 –
Benetton Treviso (8th) v MUNSTER (6th), Stadio di Monigo, 3pm local time/2pm Irish time (delayed coverage TG4/live SportItalia 2)
Zebre (12th) v Newport Gwent Dragons (11th), Stadio XXV Aprile, 3.05pm local time (delayed coverage SportItalia 2)