GUINNESS PRO12: Semi-Finals Preview
The GUINNESS PRO12 semi-finals kick off this week with Leinster the only returning team from last season’s play-offs. The four-time champions host the first semi-final on Friday night when they face the Scarlets, while Munster also entertain Welsh opponents with the Ospreys making the trip to Limerick on Saturday.
All four teams have ambitions to reach the GUINNESS PRO12 final at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 27, with the aim of succeeding Connacht as champions. Tickets are selling fast for the final and supporters still have time to guarantee their place by visiting www.ticketmaster.ie before the semi-finals kick off.
LEINSTER (2nd) v SCARLETS (3rd)
Friday, May 19, the RDS, kick-off 7.45pm (live TG4/Sky Sports 1 HD/BBC 2 Wales)
Leinster v Scarlets – Buy Tickets
Unbeaten in PRO12 games at their Dublin home since February 2015, Leinster also boast a formidable record of having never lost any of the six semi-finals that they have played at the RDS. Leo Cullen’s men set new Championship records this season for the most tries scored by a single team – 91 – and most points – 674 – as their attacking play set the bar for others to follow.
However, their opponents, the Scarlets, have also been lighting up the Championship with their exciting play and lethal counter-attacking off stolen ball as they lead the PRO12 rankings in turnovers. Their 17 wins this season is also a highest-ever total for the region as they try to become the first away team to win a semi-final in the Championship.
Fitness permitting, this clash should feature eight players selected for the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand with Leinster calling upon five squad members, Sean O’Brien, Tadhg Furlong, Jack McGrath, Jonathan Sexton and Robbie Henshaw, while the Scarlets include Jonathan Davies, Liam Williams and Ken Owens.
MUNSTER (1st) v OSPREYS (4th)
Saturday, May 20, Thomond Park, kick-off 6.15pm (live TG4/Sky Sports 1 HD/S4C)
Munster v Ospreys – Buy Tickets
Two of the most storied teams in the Championship meet for the third time in the PRO12 semi-finals at Thomond Park with Munster looking to join their opponents, the Ospreys, on a total of four titles. The men in red finished top of the table after 22 rounds but despite some unexpected results for the Ospreys, they possess plenty of quality in their ranks to spring an upset.
This is another fixture that will provide a showcase for some of the most elite talent in the PRO12 with seven British & Irish Lions involved between both teams. Munster will look for Conor Murray, CJ Stander and Peter O’Mahony to set the tone, however, the Ospreys will boast players of the calibre of Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb, Justin Tipuric and Alun Wyn Jones. This will be a titanic battle to rival the Six Nations encounters between Ireland and Wales.
TOP PERFORMERS IN GUINNESS PRO12 AFTER ROUND 22 (Powered by Opta Statistics):
TOP POINTS SCORERS –
Angus O’Brien (Newport Gwent Dragons) 130
Steve Shingler (Cardiff Blues) 128
Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) 127
Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster) 126
Duncan Weir (Edinburgh) 116
TOP TRY SCORERS –
Steffan Evans (Scarlets) 11
Ronan O’Mahony (Munster) 9
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) 9
Joey Carbery (Leinster) 8
Rory O’Loughlin (Leinster) 8
Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 8
TOP TRY ASSISTS –
Tyler Bleyendaal (Munster) 12
Sam Davies (Ospreys) 9
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster) 9
Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) 9
Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues) 8
Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 8
Ross Byrne (Leinster) 8
Duncan Williams (Munster) 8
Stuart Olding (Ulster) 8
METRES GAINED –
Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) 2011
Dan Evans (Ospreys) 1594
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 1567
Matthew Morgan (Cardiff Blues) 1495
Steffan Evans (Scarlets) 1197
MOST CARRIES –
Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) 292
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 252
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 230
Dan Evans (Ospreys) 220
Dan Baker (Ospreys) 206
CLEAN BREAKS –
Steffan Evans (Scarlets) 27
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 26
Dan Evans (Ospreys) 24
Jacob Stockdale (Ulster) 24
Damien Hoyland (Edinburgh) 23
Ronan O’Mahony (Munster) 23
DEFENDERS BEATEN –
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 74
Willis Halaholo (Cardiff Blues) 64
Steffan Evans (Scarlets) 59
Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) 54
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 54
Nick Grigg (Glasgow Warriors) 54
MOST PASSES –
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster) 1445
Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues) 1177
Tom Habberfield (Ospreys) 1026
Luke McGrath (Leinster) 961
Duncan Williams (Munster) 938
MOST OFFLOADS –
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 29
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 27
Jake Heenan (Connacht) 26
Josh Matavesi (Ospreys) 24
Rey Lee-Lo (Cardiff Blues) 23
KICKS FROM HAND –
Sam Davies (Ospreys) 165
Carlo Canna (Zebre) 161
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster) 148
Angus O’Brien (Newport Gwent Dragons) 148
Duncan Williams (Munster) 129
MOST TACKLES –
Sean Reidy (Ulster) 263
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 247
Lewis Evans (Newport Gwent Dragons) 238
Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues) 226
Nic Cudd (Newport Gwent Dragons) 224
LINEOUTS WON –
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 140
Macauley Cook (Cardiff Blues) 72
Rory Thornton (Ospreys) 65
Dean Budd (Benetton Treviso) 64
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) 58
TURNOVERS WON –
Dan Leavy (Leinster) 27
James Davies (Scarlets) 27
Ollie Griffiths (Newport Gwent Dragons) 21
Tommaso Castello (Zebre) 17
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) 17
Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets) 17
For more statistics, please visit www.pro12rugby.com/powered-by-opta