RaboDirect PRO12: Round 14 Preview
After a round of games played in dreadful conditions during which yet another fixture fell foul of the weather, players and spectators alike must be hoping that round 14 of the RaboDirect PRO12 fares better.
The round kicks off with two games in the Irish capitals on Friday night, one in Belfast and one in Dublin, both featuring Welsh opposition.
Reigning champions Leinster welcome the Newport Gwent Dragons to the RDS, a ground where the Welshmen have never tasted victory, while the Scarlets are the visitors to Ravenhill where Ulster will be defending their impressive home record.
There are three games on Saturday – table-topping Munster host Zebre for the first time at Musgrave Park, Cardiff Blues welcome Glasgow Warriors to the Arms Park while Edinburgh travel to Connacht.
Thanks to the wintry weather both of the Scottish teams now have two games in hand, and with Glasgow sitting in fifth place just outside the play-off zone those outstanding points could become vital later in the season.
Round 14 wraps up on Sunday afternoon when the Ospreys host Italian outfit Benetton Treviso at the Liberty Stadium.
The Ospreys’ loss to Ulster last weekend saw the province climb above them in the table, and if the Welsh side are to break the Irish stranglehold on the play-off spots, they need to garner every point available.
RABODIRECT PRO12 – ROUND 14 FIXTURES:
Friday, February 14 –
ULSTER (3rd) v Scarlets (6th), Ravenhill, 7.05pm (live BBC 2 Northern Ireland/BBC 2 Wales)
LEINSTER (2nd) v Newport Gwent Dragons (7th), the RDS, 7.45pm (live TG4)
Saturday, February 15 –
CONNACHT (12th) v Edinburgh (8th), the Sportsground, 5pm
Cardiff Blues (9th) v Glasgow Warriors (5th), Arms Park, 6.30pm (live S4C/BBC ALBA)
MUNSTER (1st) v Zebre (11th), Musgrave Park, 6.45pm (live RTÉ Two/delayed coverage Sport Mediaset)
Sunday, February 16 –
Ospreys (4th) v Benetton Treviso (10th), Liberty Stadium, 4pm (live S4C)