RaboDirect PRO12: Round 19 Review
With just three rounds of the regular RaboDirect PRO12 season left, the position at the business end of the table has, if anything, become even tighter.
The two Welsh regions’ losses to the two Scottish teams have severely hampered their chances of making it into the top four.
Meanwhile, Leinster returned to their winning ways by beating reigning champions Munster on their home turf to keep on course for a home semi-final.
That result meant the Ospreys reclaimed the second home play-off spot, but with just three points separating the teams in second to fifth position, there is still everything to play for when the league resumes on April 13.
2011/12 RABODIRECT PRO12 – AFTER ROUND 19:
TOP TRY SCORERS –
12 – Tim Visser (Edinburgh)
7 – Ian Madigan (Leinster)
6 – Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Simon Zebo (Munster)
5 – Danny Barnes (Munster), Darren Cave (Ulster), Tonderai Chavhanga (Newport Gwent Dragons), Andy Fenby (Scarlets), Tom James (Cardiff Blues), Ludovico Nitoglia (Benetton Treviso), Brendan Williams (Benetton Treviso), Nick Williams (Aironi Rugby)
4 – Leo Auva’a (Leinster), Fionn Carr (Leinster), Hanno Dirksen (Ospreys), Casey Laulala (Cardiff Blues), Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht), Rhys Thomas (Scarlets), Rhys Webb (Ospreys)
TOP POINTS SCORERS –
181 – Dan Biggar (Ospreys) (23 conversions, 42 penalty goals and 3 drop goals)
169 – Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) (1 try, 10 conversions, 46 penalty goals and 2 drop goals)
147 – Ian Keatley (Munster) (21 conversions and 35 penalty goals)
139 – Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh) (1 try, 19 conversions and 32 penalty goals)
133 – Jason Tovey (Newport Gwent Dragons) (1 try, 10 conversions and 36 penalty goals)
127 – Kris Burton (Benetton Treviso) (1 try, 16 conversions, 24 penalty goals and 6 drop goals)
109 – Ian Humphreys (Ulster) (3 tries, 14 conversions and 22 penalty goals)
108 – Isa Nacewa (Leinster) (2 tries, 10 conversions and 26 penalty goals)
BEST PLACE-KICKERS –
100% – Fergus McFadden (Leinster) (13 successful kicks from 13 attempts)
169 – Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)
85.71% – Ronan O’Gara (Munster) (12/14)
84.85% – Jason Tovey (Newport Gwent Dragons) (28/33)
84.44% – Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh) (38/45)
84.21% – Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) (16/19)
82% – Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) (41/50)
80% – Dan Biggar (Ospreys) (36/45), Willem de Waal (Benetton Treviso) (8/10)
77.14% – Kris Burton (Benetton Treviso) (27/35)
76.09% – Ian Keatley (Munster) (35/46)
75% – Isa Nacewa (Leinster) (24/32), Ceri Sweeney (Cardiff Blues) (24/32)
73.91% – Dan Newton (Scarlets) (17/23)
73.33% – Dan Parks (Cardiff Blues) (11/15)
71.43% – Stephen Jones (Scarlets) (10/14)
69.57% – Niall O’Connor (Connacht) (16/23)
66.67% – Harry Leonard (Edinburgh) (8/12)
64.71% – Matthew Morgan (Ospreys) (11/17)
60% – Aled Thomas (Scarlets) (9/15), Tobie Botes (Benetton Treviso) (6/10)
58.33% – Ian Humphreys (Ulster) (28/48)
52.94% – Naas Olivier (Aironi Rugby) (18/34)
44.44% – Matthew Jarvis (Connacht) (8/18)
Qual: 10 place-kicks at goal
RESULTS ROUND-UP –
Friday, December 2, 2011 at Ravenhill
Ulster (8) 24: Stephen Ferris(2T), Ian Humphreys(C/4P)
Scarlets (10) 17: Sean Lamont(T), Viliame Iongi(T), Kieran Murphy(T), Stephen Jones(C)
Attendance: 8.117
Ulster v Scarlets Match Report
Friday, December 2, 2011 at the Sportsground
Connacht (7) 13: David McSharry(T), Niall O’Connor(C/2P)
Benetton Treviso (15) 15: Brendan Williams(T), Tommaso Iannone(T), Willem de Waal(C/P)
Attendance: 3,614
Connacht v Benetton Treviso Match Report
Friday, December 2, 2011 at Murrayfield
Edinburgh (31) 50: David Denton(T), Tim Visser(3T), Nick de Luca(T), Lee Jones(T), Chris Leck(T), Greig Laidlaw(5C/P), Phil Godman(C)
Aironi Rugby (5) 10: George Fabio Biagi(T), Filippo Ferrarini(T)
Attendance: 4,403
Friday, December 2, 2011 at the RDS
Leinster (13) 52: Isaac Boss(T), Nathan White(T), Ian Madigan(T), David Kearney(2T), Leo Auva’a(T), Fergus McFadden(3C/3P/D), Jonathan Sexton(2C)
Cardiff Blues (9) 9: Ceri Sweeney(3P)
Attendance: 16,347
Leinster v Cardiff Blues Match Report
Saturday, December 3, 2011 at the Liberty Stadium
Ospreys (6) 19: Richard Fussell(T), Rhys Webb(T), Matthew Morgan(3P)
Munster (10) 13: Doug Howlett(T), Ian Keatley(C/P), Ronan O’Gara(P)
Attendance: 5,783
Ospreys v Munster Match Report
Sunday, December 4, 2011 at Rodney Parade
Newport Gwent Dragons (0) 14: Tom Riley(T), Jason Tovey(2P), Steffan Jones(P)
Glasgow Warriors (3) 14: Scott Wight(T), Ruaridh Jackson(3P)
Attendance: 5,273