GUINNESS PRO14: Round 14 Preview
The GUINNESS PRO14 returns with its first full slate of games since December with fixtures playing out across Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. With only eight rounds left in the regular season, the competition is heating up right across both Conferences as teams fight it out for final series places and Champions Cup qualification.
Teams will also be eager to secure home advantage in the knockout stages, but the Scarlets proved last year that away side can still claim the title as the Championship becomes more unpredictable. The GUINNESS PRO14 final takes place at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 26 – visit www.ticketmaster.ie for more.
Connacht pick up their campaign against the Ospreys in Galway on Friday (kick-off 7.35pm), eager to take advantage of the result between Cardiff Blues and Toyota Cheetahs – two of their closest rivals in Conference A. Connacht will be buoyed by their success in the Challenge Cup, while the Ospreys will have a new coach at the helm, forwards coach Allen Clarke has taken charge of the team after the departure of Steve Tandy.
The crowds have been up at Rodney Parade this season and the Dragons will be hoping for a vocal support when high-flying Glasgow Warriors come to town on Friday. The 2015 champions have only suffered one defeat this season but with Bernard Jackman instilling a new attitude at the Dragons, this fixture could provide an upset.
Edinburgh’s recent record in all competitions is strong and Leinster will have to be at their best to match the physical intensity that has become the hallmark of Richard Cockerill’s team. The game takes place at Myreside on Friday, marking a year since the ground become Edinburgh’s regular home. A positive result for the hosts would keep the pressure on Ulster for the third final series place in Conference B.
The final game on Friday night sees Ulster entertain the Southern Kings at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 7.35pm), as the province begin life after the departure of director of rugby Les Kiss. The Ulster fans will be in for a treat if this fixture is anything like the sides’ first meeting in November that produced 12 tries in a 43-36 thriller in Port Elizabeth.
Zebre are the visitors to Thomond Park on Saturday evening to take on Munster (kick-off 7.35pm). Munster will feel the need to ensure they keep a distance between themselves and the Cheetahs in Conference B, but also take advantage of any slip-up by Glasgow in order to cut down the 15-point lead the Scots currently hold at the top of the Conference.
Sunday’s only fixture sees Benetton Rugby host the defending champions, the Scarlets. With both teams looking at changed starting XVs, this promises to be an lively affair. However, Benetton have proven difficult to beat in Treviso this season so the men from Llanelli are sure to be in for a tough afternoon’s work.
Both Cardiff Blues and the Toyota Cheetahs like to throw the ball about and play an expansive game – perfect for the artificial surface at Cardiff Arms Park. There is a lot at stake in Saturday night’s game, too, Cardiff may trail the Cheetahs by 15 points in Conference A but this represents a chance to eat into that lead before they travel to Bloemfontein later in the season.
Rory Duncan’s Cheetahs have won away from South Africa just once this season, and their performance in the Welsh capital should give us a greater insight into how much they can improve their road form.
GUINNESS PRO14 – ROUND 14 FIXTURES:
Friday, February 9 –
CONNACHT (5th, Con A) v Ospreys (6th, Con A), the Sportsground, 7.35pm (live TG4 YouTube Channel)
Dragons (6th, Con B) v Glasgow Warriors (1st, Con A), Rodney Parade, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Wales)
Edinburgh (4th, Con B) v LEINSTER (2nd, Con B), Myreside, 7.35pm (live TG4/BBC ALBA)
ULSTER (3rd, Con B) v Southern Kings (7th, Con B), Kingspan Stadium, 7.35pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/SuperSport 1)
Saturday, February 10 –
Cardiff Blues (4th, Con A) v Toyota Cheetahs (3rd, Con A), Cardiff Arms Park, 7.35pm (live S4C/SuperSport 1)
MUNSTER (2nd, Con A) v Zebre (7th, Con A), Thomond Park, 7.35pm (live TG4)
Benetton Rugby (5th, Con B) v Scarlets (1st, Con B), Stadio di Monigo, 2.05pm local time (live Eurosport Italia/Sky Sports Arena)
TOP PERFORMERS IN GUINNESS PRO14 AFTER ROUND 13 (Powered by Opta Statistics):
TOP POINTS SCORERS –
Ross Byrne (Leinster) 92
Jack Carty (Connacht) 91
Carlo Canna (Zebre) 89
John Cooney (Ulster) 77
Gavin Henson (Dragons) 77
TOP TRY SCORERS –
Makazole Mapimpi (Toyota Cheetahs) 10
Angelo Esposito (Benetton Rugby) 7
Alex Wootton (Munster) 7
George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 6
Lee Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 6
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne (Edinburgh) 6
Jordan Larmour (Leinster) 6
TOP TRY ASSISTS –
Steff Evans (Scarlets) 8
Luke McGrath (Leinster) 7
John Cooney (Ulster) 6
Darren Sweetnam (Munster) 6
METRES GAINED –
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) 1088
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 848
Tiernan O’Halloran (Connacht) 830
Makazole Mapimpi (Toyota Cheetahs) 801
Johnny McNicholl (Scarlets) 747
MOST CARRIES –
Olly Cracknell (Ospreys) 158
Tom Farrell (Connacht) 156
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 150
Bundee Aki (Connacht) 149
Tommaso Castello (Zebre) 134
CLEAN BREAKS –
Makazole Mapimpi (Toyota Cheetahs) 22
Mattia Bellini (Zebre) 17
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) 17
Jeff Hassler (Ospreys) 16
Jordan Larmour (Leinster) 16
Steff Evans (Scarlets) 16
DEFENDERS BEATEN –
Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh) 48
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 45
Tom Farrell (Connacht) 44
Renato Giammorioli (Zebre) 41
Jordan Larmour (Leinster) 37
Makazole Mapimpi (Toyota Cheetahs) 37
Ashton Hewitt (Dragons) 37
MOST PASSES –
Marcello Violi (Zebre) 877
John Cooney (Ulster) 869
Kieran Marmion (Connacht) 796
Tom Habberfield (Ospreys) 703
Nathan Fowles (Edinburgh) 507
MOST OFFLOADS –
Tom Farrell (Connacht) 34
Charles Piutau (Ulster) 21
Steff Evans (Scarlets) 20
Ruaridh Jackson (Glasgow Warriors) 19
Alex Wootton (Munster) 18
KICKS FROM HAND –
Carlo Canna (Zebre) 90
Jack Carty (Connacht) 85
Sam Davies (Ospreys) 77
Gavin Henson (Dragons) 77
Ian Keatley (Munster) 76
MOST TACKLES –
Olly Cracknell (Ospreys) 156
James Benjamin (Dragons) 152
Olly Robinson (Cardiff Blues) 144
Paul Schoeman (Toyota Cheetahs) 140
Andisa Ntsila (Southern Kings) 140
LINEOUTS WON –
Reniel Hugo (Toyota Cheetahs) 66
Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 45
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) 41
Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) 37
Cory Hill (Dragons) 37
TURNOVERS WON –
Tadhg Beirne (Scarlets) 20
Nick Williams (Cardiff Blues) 15
Carlo Canna (Zebre) 11
Michael Willemse (Southern Kings) 10
Derick Minnie (Zebre) 10
Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) 10
Will Boyde (Scarlets) 10
For more statistics, please visit www.pro14rugby.org/powered-by-opta