GUINNESS PRO12: Round 16 Preview
After round 15 produced plenty of drama and entertainment with 39 tries scored, the action in the GUINNESS PRO12 continues this weekend with games taking place across all four participating countries.
Only seven rounds remain before the semi-finals in May and this weekend will provide the main challengers the opportunity to stay on track for the GUINNESS PRO12 final on Saturday, May 27 in Dublin.
Friday night kicks off with a critical away trip for the Scarlets who visit Munster at Thomond Park. The province have cemented their place at the top of the table after their last-gasp victory over the Ospreys in round 15.
Rassie Erasmus’ men are unbeaten at Thomond Park in the PRO12 this season. The Scarlets lie in fourth place, 10 points shy of Munster, and will need a win in order to ward off the growing threat from a resurgent Ulster.
Second-placed Leinster travel to Rodney Parade to take on the Newport Gwent Dragons where the hosts will offer up stiff opposition based on their strong second half showing against Connacht in Round 15.
In the last four games between these teams, the home side has finished with victory, but the Dragons will need to shut down a Leinster team who have scored the most tries in the PRO12.
On Sunday, Ulster and Connacht travel to Italy to take on Zebre and Benetton Treviso respectively. Les Kiss’ charges will be incentivised by their ambitions to mount a late surge and finish in the top four, while Connacht know that a win in Treviso keeps them in contention to qualify for the Champions Cup or secure a play-off berth.
?Swansea’s Liberty Stadium will be the focus of attention for the second weekend in a row as four-time champions the Ospreys take on the title winners from 2015, Glasgow Warriors. Gregor Townsend’s side have lost their last two games in the Championship, but boast a record of five wins from their last eight trips to Wales.
GUINNESS PRO12 – ROUND 16 FIXTURES:
Friday, February 24 –
Edinburgh (9th) v Cardiff Blues (7th), Myreside, 7.05pm (live BBC 2 Scotland/BBC 2 Wales)
Newport Gwent Dragons (10th) v LEINSTER (2nd), Rodney Parade, 7.30pm
MUNSTER (1st) v Scarlets (4th), Thomond Park, 7.35pm (live TG4)
Sunday, February 26 –
Ospreys (3rd) v Glasgow Warriors (6th), Liberty Stadium, 1.05pm (live S4C/BBC ALBA)
Zebre (12th) v ULSTER (5th), Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time (live Sky Sports 3 HD/Eurosport Italia)
Benetton Treviso (11th) v CONNACHT (8th), Stadio di Monigo, 1.30pm local time/12.30pm Irish time
TOP PERFORMERS IN GUINNESS PRO12 AFTER ROUND 15 (Powered by Opta Statistics):
TOP POINTS SCORERS –
Steve Shingler (Cardiff Blues) 106
Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster) 96
Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) 91
Angus O’Brien (Newport Gwent Dragons) 86
Sam Davies (Ospreys) 84
TOP TRY SCORERS –
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 8
Ronan O’Mahony (Munster) 7
Steff Evans (Scarlets) 6
Tom James (Cardiff Blues) 6
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) 6
Adam Byrne (Leinster) 6
Rory O’Loughlin (Leinster) 6
Joey Carbery (Leinster) 6
TOP TRY ASSISTS –
Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster) 9
Sam Davies (Ospreys) 8
Ross Byrne (Leinster) 8
Duncan Williams (Munster) 7
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) 7
METRES GAINED –
Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) 1337
Matthew Morgan (Cardiff Blues) 1095
Dan Evans (Ospreys) 1072
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 909
Steff Evans (Scarlets) 823
MOST CARRIES –
Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) 178
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 151
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) 150
Dan Evans (Ospreys) 147
Olly Cracknell (Ospreys) 146
CLEAN BREAKS –
Tom James (Cardiff Blues) 19
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 18
Matthew Morgan (Cardiff Blues) 17
Steff Evans (Scarlets) 17
Ronan O’Mahony (Munster) 17
Dan Evans (Ospreys) 17
DEFENDERS BEATEN –
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 46
Steff Evans (Scarlets) 43
Willis Halaholo (Cardiff Blues) 42
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) 38
Matthew Morgan (Cardiff Blues) 36
MOST PASSES –
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster) 872
Tom Habberfield (Ospreys) 808
Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues) 774
Luke McGrath (Leinster) 663
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) 642
MOST OFFLOADS –
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 18
Josh Matavesi (Ospreys) 18
Rey Lee-Lo (Cardiff Blues) 17
Jake Heenan (Connacht) 17
Dan Baker (Ospreys) 14
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 14
Noel Reid (Leinster) 14
Jack Conan (Leinster) 14
Dan Leavy (Leinster) 14
KICKS FROM HAND –
Carlo Canna (Zebre) 138
Sam Davies (Ospreys) 112
Angus O’Brien (Newport Gwent Dragons) 95
Duncan Weir (Edinburgh) 94
Jack Carty (Connacht) 90
MOST TACKLES –
Lewis Evans (Newport Gwent Dragons) 175
Sean Reidy (Ulster) 174
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 171
Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) 170
Billy Holland (Munster) 166
LINEOUTS WON –
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 95
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) 45
Dries van Schalkwyk (Zebre) 45
Macauley Cook (Cardiff Blues) 44
Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) 44
TURNOVERS WON –
Dan Leavy (Leinster) 19
James Davies (Scarlets) 19
Ollie Griffiths (Newport Gwent Dragons) 15
Marco Barbini (Benetton Treviso) 12
Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues) 11
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) 11
John Barclay (Scarlets) 11
Sam Parry (Ospreys) 11
For more statistics, please visit www.pro12rugby.com/powered-by-opta