GUINNESS PRO12: Round 22 – Race To The Final
Entering into ‘Super Saturday’ and the final round of the GUINNESS PRO12, three teams have secured their semi-final places with the Ospreys heavy favourites to take the final berth.
Ulster are still mathematically capable of finishing fourth at the expense of the Ospreys, however, it is dependent on a number of criteria. Defeat for Glasgow Warriors in round 21 has ruled the 2015 champions out of contention while the Ospreys need only one match point to ensure their place in GUINNESS PRO12 final series.
Leinster and Munster are the only teams capable of finishing in first place.
To finish in the top four Ulster must:
– Beat Leinster with a try-scoring bonus point
– The Ospreys would have to lose to the Scarlets without any losing bonus point and/or try-scoring bonus point
– Make up a points difference of 73
Semi-final line-ups:
– First placed (Leinster/Munster) versus fourth placed (Scarlets/Ospreys/Ulster)
– Second placed (Leinster/Munster) versus third placed (Scarlets/Ospreys)
Top six teams have all qualified for the Champions Cup:
Leinster
Munster
Scarlets
Ospreys
Ulster
Glasgow Warriors
Champions Cup qualification play-offs:
Cardiff Blues and Connacht will represent the PRO12 against the seventh-placed teams from the Premiership and Top 14. Cardiff Blues need one match point to ensure they finish in seventh place.
To finish in seventh, Connacht would require Cardiff Blues not to pick up any points against the Newport Gwent Dragons. Connacht would need to beat Munster with a try-scoring bonus point while making up a points difference of 57.
Champions Cup play-off line-ups:
Play-off 1: Premiership seventh-ranked team versus PRO12 ninth-ranked team (the winners of play-off 1 will have home advantage in the play-off final)
Play-off 2: Top 14 seventh-ranked team versus PRO12 eighth-ranked team
Please note that the highest-placed Italian team from PRO12 will be considered the seventh-ranked team by EPCR, this means that eighth and ninth ranks will be awarded to the seventh and eighth-positioned sides in the PRO12
Italian qualifiers for the Champions Cup:
Zebre and Benetton Treviso are level on 19 points, the winners of their round 22 game will qualify as the Italian representatives for the Champions Cup as set out by EPCR.
How final positions are decided in the GUINNESS PRO12:
If two or more teams finish with the same number of Championship points, their placings will be determined by the following criteria in descending order:
– Number of matches won
– The difference between points for and points against
– The number of tries scored
– The most points scored
– The difference between tries for and tries against
– The fewest number of suspensions
– The fewest number of yellow cards received
– Toss of a coin