Sky's predictions for the Rabo

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Predicted 2012/13 table

1 Leinster
2 Glasgow
3 Ospreys
4 Scarlets
5 Munster
6 Ulster
7 Connacht
8 Edinburgh
9 Treviso
10 Cardiff Blues
11 Dragons
12 Zebre
Leinster to finish as champions

I think that Connacht are to high and Ulster to low. Glasgow could get second but surely that would be considered very good.

This year will be tight thats all I can say

Bit different to everyone else's.

Ulster
Leinster
Munster
Scarlets
Edingburgh
Ospreys
Dragons
Glasgow
Blues
Treviso
Connacht
Zebra

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Zebre are well below everyone else and haven't even played yet.

Seeing as they haven't played yet, isn't it foolish to assume they'll be terrible?

I wish we (the Dragons) weren't playing them first up - no one knows what to expect from them.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Zebre are well below everyone else and haven't even played yet.

Seeing as they haven't played yet, isn't it foolish to assume they'll be terrible?

I wish we (the Dragons) weren't playing them first up - no one knows what to expect from them.

You would want to get that away fixture out of the way in the first 4-5 games of the season before they start developing as a team.

I'm really nervous about playing them at Dave Parade first up. They're going to throw everything into that first game in the Rabo and they're an unknown quantity. But it gets easier after that when we have Leinster away.

Yeah, but we beat London Irish so we're awesome!

youngguns6 wrote:Bit different to everyone else's.

Ulster
Leinster
Munster
Scarlets
Edingburgh
Ospreys
Dragons
Glasgow
Blues
Treviso
Connacht
Zebra

Love it! Can't fault a bit of blind optimism from us Dragons fans.

In all seriousness we tend to do better when we're the underdogs. Last season bigger things were expected of us because we had a number of Welsh internationals, etc. However, that just took away from us (literally; it was one of the first times ever that we'd been affected by call ups). I think the lack of pressure to perform and lack of expectation may mean we have a slightly better season than some predict. Maybe.

I'm happy enough for us to be written off. If it means sides take us lightly, all the better.

Griff wrote:Yeah, but we beat London Irish so we're awesome!

FACT. End of.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Zebre are well below everyone else and haven't even played yet.

Seeing as they haven't played yet, isn't it foolish to assume they'll be terrible?

I wish we (the Dragons) weren't playing them first up - no one knows what to expect from them.

It is tempting faith. But at the same stage, this is a club starting from scratch with new coaches, structures and players going into a season against well established clubs. I'd write off this season and possibly next season before they start to become relevant.

I have a feeling Munster will do well. Their strength in depth is still great.

thebandwagonsociety wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Zebre are well below everyone else and haven't even played yet.

Seeing as they haven't played yet, isn't it foolish to assume they'll be terrible?

I wish we (the Dragons) weren't playing them first up - no one knows what to expect from them.

It is tempting faith. But at the same stage, this is a club starting from scratch with new coaches, structures and players going into a season against well established clubs. I'd write off this season and possibly next season before they start to become relevant.

Zebra beat Northampton 30 - 28 in the preseason apparently. Not sure what the Northampton team was, but they did HAMMER Leinster in the preseason themselves.

Here's a team-by-team guide from Gerry Thornley in the Irish Times.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0829/1224323186715.html

Good analysis, can't disagree the outs in the Welsh teams should save money and get rid of some of the dead wood. The Ospreys and blues squads were far too big.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Here's a team-by-team guide from Gerry Thornley in the Irish Times.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/0829/1224323186715.html

Some left field calls from Gerry there.

I'll french kiss a skunk if Scarlets come 3rd and Treviso come 6th.

Don't get me wrong - Scarlets have the backs to produce a placing like that - I just don't think that they have the pack.

Gerry has the Dragons and Blues to both finish in 10th place. As it's impossible, I'll French kiss a skunk if that happens too!

Bump

Ulster are setting the pace. Sky had them to finish 6th but in fairness they were evens in the bookies to make the playoffs.

Ozzy3213 wrote:Surprised everyone seems to have the Dragons in 11th place. I can see them finishing above the Blues this year.

Ozzy,

That would be so so soooooooo sweet if we did but I can't see it happening. We all know that for seasons now it has been our away form that has let us down, well our home form isn't exactly inspiring at the moment and we are still getting stuffed up front every game.

Not to forget that the Dragons will be taking their annual spanking away to the Blues on Boxing Day

gcBlues wrote:Not to forget that the Dragons will be taking their annual spanking away to the Blues on Boxing Day

That could very well be the game that decides which of you finish on top. As realisitcally the only difference between the two sides at the moment is the match at Dave parade.

We're on our worst run of results ever. So I predict we'll be pushing for the playoffs.

Well we'll see, hopefully our welsh players come back with a rocket up the harris from gatland and actually want to show their worth. Between december a feb, there ain't no internationals and if they want to be on the lions tour they need to perform before the 6n.

to be fair to the blues they are where most people are where they thought they would be.

I think many people thought that Os and Leinster would be higher and ulster lower.

Not really to suprised that Dragons, Connacht and Treviso are all about the same but maybe expected dragons to be a little futhur back.

Have to say I'm suprised with How well Zebre are starting to do. Think they will pick up two wins by the season end.

Brendan wrote:to be fair to the blues they are where most people are where they thought they would be.

I think many people thought that Os and Leinster would be higher and ulster lower.

Not really to suprised that Dragons, Connacht and Treviso are all about the same but maybe expected dragons to be a little futhur back.

Have to say I'm suprised with How well Zebre are starting to do. Think they will pick up two wins by the season end.

Are they hell, people were predicting them to be this seasons dark horses, and were cliaming the move back to the CAP and a new coach etc would be the inspiration they needed.

Some did SS, but most here (check first page) had them as 8/9th and Ozzy had them to finish 2nd last.

Don't know what will happen Blues this year, could slump and Dragons get a H-cup spot, if Dragons beat Blues over christmas, then you could see them pick up some momentium. Blues have a lot of work to do if they want to be in top 6 next year.

Terviso, Connacht and Edinburgh should all improve next year meaning for Blues to stay in top 9 will take some work. They are a big enough team to be top 6, but could fall into a bit of a mess

King, I apologies looking at it everyone on here had it right. I may have been a different thread (there have been many) or just that the people who said 'dark horses' argued louder than the others etc and stuck in my head.