Pro12 run-in to 2016 playoffs and placings

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Update:  After Round 21

Well you couldn't ask for a better final round to the regular season.  Every match has got something riding on it, with only two teams - Dragons and Cardiff - not able to benefit from either a play-off spot or a European Cup placing.

Glasgow now sit on top of the heap, displaying their cup-winning form of last season as they've hit the home stretch.  But they can still be overtaken by Connacht lying in second place.  Both sides want a home-semi-final let alone kudos of finishing at the top of the table.  The Sportsground will be rocking next weekend as the men from the west look to have their most successful season ever finish on a high.

Despite having more won more games than any other team in the league so far, Leinster are sitting in 3rd spot having been roundly trounced by Ulster at Ravenhill. 3 points behind Glasgow, the most they can hope for is second spot if Glasgow rule the day.  If Connacht win against Glasgow to gain 4 points and put them on 73, and Leinster get a try bonus point against Treviso, then Leinster will top the table by dint of more games won during the season.

But is a TBP or even a win against Treviso at RDS a foregone conclusion?   Connacht found out to their cost that Treviso are desperate to make the European placings, and now having got ahead of Zebre, want to remain there.   Zebre have a home match against the Dragons who have nothing to play for but pride.   Both teams have just won 4 matches this season, but Dragons have gained 10 LBPs in the course of the season.

Right in the middle of the table lies a double Welsh-Irish battle - with lots at stake for all four teams - Ospreys v Ulster and Munster v Scarlets. A win for Ospreys would put them level with Munster on 58 - although Munster have won 12 games to Ospreys 11.   It would also do their Welsh colleagues in Scarlets a favour who if they win their match could take the last play-off spot from Ulster.   And in turn, if Scarlets beat Munster, then Ospreys could go through into the last European spot, as their points difference would be better than Munster's.   Even if Munster beat Scarlets with a TBP, they can't overtake them in 5th place as Scarlets have two more wins than them currently.

Lastly, Edinburgh will be lying in wait, hoping for Ulster and Scarlets to do the business, and hope they can somehow get a TBP win against Cardiff who were knocked out of the running with their loss to Ospreys at the weekend.   5 points for Edinburgh would put them on 58 points equal to Munster, with 12 wins apiece but Edinburgh with the better points difference.

Think that covers all of the possibilities.   But feel free to add any in.

Oooh!!

Trimble kicks from his 22 and chases, the ball bounces horribly for Webb who slips, Trimble regathers his own kick and scores!

Ospreys 14-21 Ulster at half-time

21-14 to Ulster at half time.

Half-time coming up everywhere

Connacht 7-0 Glasgow
Leinster 17-0 Treviso
Munster 14-12 Scarlets
Zebre 23-3 Dragons
Edinburgh 17-7 Cardiff
Ospreys 14-21 Ulster


Keith Earls made that try for Saili with his break and steps.   Lovely piece of play.

I would not credit Earls with making that Munster try Pot, his run and pass was excellent but it was Saili's vision to kick ahead and then support that created that try.

Thanks, PH

As it stands

1 Connacht
2 Leinster
3 Glasgow
4 Ulster
5 Scarlets
6 Munster

11 Zebre

eirebilly wrote:I would not credit Earls with making that Munster try Pot, his run and pass was excellent but it was Saili's vision to kick ahead and then support that created that try.

Fair enough.

I'll look at it again.

14 - 12 to Munster at half time. The Scarlets have been very good except for their handling in critical areas.

Pot Hale wrote:

eirebilly wrote:I would not credit Earls with making that Munster try Pot, his run and pass was excellent but it was Saili's vision to kick ahead and then support that created that try.

Fair enough.

I'll look at it again.

No bother bud.

Leinster get another one and that gives them the bonus point. They're now top of the league if things stay as they are.

Ulster throwing everything at Ospreys at the moment. With some Hail Mary passes out to the wing.

Looking a bit too desperate/rushed despite getting a penalty after half-time and leading 24-14.

Connacht lost Finlay Bealham in their opening minutes and are now without their first choice props for this game. They're putting in a lot of defence, but you get the sense that the pressure is eventually going to tell and Glasgow have the better bench.

Still 7-0 so far to the men in the west.

You feel if Ulster can engineer a score we won't let it slip... but we've been sloppy at times too. We're making a lot more errors and need to settle down. We're not as accurate as we have been.

James Davies just outpaced Zebo

eirebilly wrote:James Davies just outpaced Zebo  

He's a very handy player, that Davies.

Ulster may have cheekily gotten a try here...

Zebre add another penalty through Carlo Canna to keep their boot on Dragon's throat.

26-3.

This will be Zebre's fifth win of the season - one more than the Dragons. The Welshmen collected a lot more losing bonus points though and will finish at least 2 points better than the Italians.

Ospreys turned the ball over on the try line, Rhys Webb controls it with his foot preparing for the box kick but Chris Henry sticks a cheeky paw through the ruck and grounds the ball!

Webb dilly-dallied over that and Ulster have their BP try!

Archer is very lucky there, clearly took Shingler out, possible Penalty try (probably not but defo penalty) and Yellow card. Owens got that massively wrong.

Notch wrote:

eirebilly wrote:James Davies just outpaced Zebo  

He's a very handy player, that Davies.

Very quick as well, clearly out paced Zebo...

Leinster add another one against Treviso at the RDS. It's now 31-0

and the pressure has told on Connacht as Glasgow get in for a try and convert. all square at 7-7. And there's now a row being sorted out by the TMO. Card coming up for someone?

Ulster get the sneaky try and lead...... oh wait, hang on.... TMO being called again...

The Ospreys crowd are furious

Chris Henry was completely legal in what he did, its only if its a knock-on or not. They check it again and they give it again!

There's nothing against what happened in the rules so... Jackson lands the kick and Ulster are 17 points up!

Hmmm.... replay showed that Henry may have lost contact with ball in rolling it over the line to touch it down. Knock-on? No says ref eventually. Ulster have their bonus point.

Thanks Ulster

Jackson is at 100% with the boot and he adds another 3. Ospreys 14-34 Ulster

Game is slipping away from the Os

Dragons show some signs of life with a try of their own eventually.

26-10 to Zebre.


Edinburgh still ahead of Cardiff by 17-7 but they need a bonus point try and other results to go their way.

Munster still hanging in with a two point lead - 14-12 against Scarlets.

Ulster looking good at 34-14

Glasgow have had tighthead, Sila Puafisi, given a red card for starting that brawl and Connacht have 30 minutes to make the extra man count.

Still 7-7.

Go on Connacht!!

Connacht take off replacement prop, Rodney Ah You, and put on JP Cooney.

They're looking to make Glasgow pay up front.   Except the Connacht loosehead, Ronan Loughney, is now down injured - Ah you to come back on??

Yep Loughney off, Balham off. Can Ah You play LH or is it going to be uncontested scrums?

No Dave Heffernan takes his place. All good. Contest continues.

Connacht pounding the Glasgow line. Desperate defence. Connacht have try line fever. And knock on.

Have Glasgow had a man sent off? If so who and why?

Ospreys get one back and the twitcher takes the conversion but misses.

19-34 to Ulster.

Ospreys score a fine try through Grabham but Biggar can't convert from the touchline- still a three-score game.

Ospreys 19-34 Ulster

Ulster need to score again to kill the game. We've rung the changes and it's caused a bit of disruption. Game is turning into Sevens!

eirebilly wrote:Have Glasgow had a man sent off? If so who and why?

Read back

eirebilly wrote:Have Glasgow had a man sent off? If so who and why?

As far as I can gather it was Puafisi for a dangerous clear out after the whistle.

Oh, Olding with a nice bit of footwork and he's under the posts. Thats the killer.

That tackle should have been made on him though. Poor try for Ospreys to concede.

Ospreys 19-41 Ulster

Scarlets handling lets them down again and they force the pass instead of killing the ball and Munster pounce to score the try.

19 - 12 Munster

Notch wrote:

eirebilly wrote:Have Glasgow had a man sent off? If so who and why?

As far as I can gather it was Puafisi for a dangerous clear out after the whistle.

Cheers.

Leinster are racking them up now as Noel Reid, joins Nacewa, Sexton, Kearney, Strauss and McGrath in the scoring stakes.

43-7 to the men in blue.

Zebre are laying down a similar hammering with a 47-10 hammering of Dragons.

Connacht have finally made the breakthrough with a try after lots of build up and pressure. Lovely cross field attacking kick, Kiernan O'Halloran rises to take and crashes over the line. And they get the conversion. 14-7.

Connacht in the lead?

Current scorelines

Connacht 14-7 Glasgow
Leinster 43-12 Treviso
Munster 19-12 Scarlets
Zebre 47-17 Dragons
Edinburgh 17-21 Cardiff
Ospreys 24-41 Ulster

Ospreys now in for their fourth try- Grabham again. Biggar lands the kick from the touchline!

Ospreys 26-41 Ulster with five minutes left. It's been a mental game, 9 tries and both teams running from everywhere. Great entertainment.

Edinburgh chances disappear into smoke as Cardiff take the lead with a try from Garyn Smith.

Franco van der Merwe may be in for Ulsters sixth try, it's going to go to the TMO.

Like I said- absolutely mental game!

Ulster look like they have another one.....