GUINNESS PRO12: Round 7 Preview
The GUINNESS PRO12 is seeing a record-breaking start to the 2015/16 season. After six rounds, not only are the average number of tries scored per match the best ever at this stage (4.5) since the league went home and away, but also there are no runaway victories as the winning margin of 10.78 points per game is the closest it has been at this point in the season for a decade.
So far 18 losing bonus points have been claimed in 36 matches, along with 17 try-scoring bonus points, showing what an exciting brand of rugby is on show for fans of the GUINNESS PRO12.
Round 7 opens with three of the top four teams in action in Ireland on Friday night. Connacht will be looking to win their fifth PRO12 game in-a-row when Benetton Treviso visit Galway, while the RDS is the home for the showdown between Leinster and Scarlets.
Last time out the Welshmen maintained their unbeaten record for a sixth straight round, while Leinster and Edinburgh traded places – Leo Cullen’s men climbing into the play-off zone and Edinburgh dropping out of the top four for the first time this season.
The two Scottish teams are in action on Saturday, one home and one away. Edinburgh must be hoping home advantage will put them back on track having lost their last two games after a winning start to the season, but third-placed Munster will be tough opponents.
Glasgow Warriors, meanwhile, have lost both their away games this season, but know that the BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park is a happy hunting ground for them, having won on their last three trips there in the PRO12.
Elsewhere on Saturday, the Ospreys face the unusual position at the Liberty Stadium of welcoming a Zebre team who sit two places higher than the Welsh outfit in the table. The Italian have claimed back-to-back victories, including their first ever bonus point win over Cardiff Blues last weekend.
Finally, the round wraps up in Wales on Sunday, the Newport Gwent Dragons and Ulster facing each other at Rodney Parade. Both teams have seen the results in their opening six rounds go the way of the home team, will this encounter follow suit?
GUINNESS PRO12 – ROUND 7 FIXTURES:
Friday, November 6 –
CONNACHT (2nd) v Benetton Treviso (12th), the Sportsground, 7.30pm (live Galway Bay FM)
LEINSTER (4th) v Scarlets (1st), the RDS, 7.35pm (live TG4/BBC 2 Wales)
Saturday, November 7 –
Cardiff Blues (10th) v Glasgow Warriors (7th), BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, 3pm (live Sky Sports 1 HD)
Edinburgh (6th) v MUNSTER (3rd), BT Murrayfield, 5.15pm (live Sky Sports 5 HD/BBC ALBA)
Ospreys (11th) v Zebre (9th), Liberty Stadium, 2.30pm
Sunday, November 8 –
Newport Gwent Dragons (8th) v ULSTER (5th), Rodney Parade, 2.30pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/S4C)