With just three rounds of Guinness PRO12 action left to navigate, it’s worth looking at the movers and shakers in the league. Who is going to make the end of season play-offs and who is going to be on the outside looking in? The PRO12 Run-In is heating up…
The PRO 12 Run-In
LEINSTER RUGBY (1st, 63pts)
Remaining fixtures: Edinburgh (H), Ulster (A), Treviso (H)
Leinster have slowly climbed the table after their usual slow start to the season and now occupy top spot in the table following Round 19. Their run-in sees them face two play-off rivals in Edinburgh and Ulster before a relatively straightforward finish to the season at home to bottom side Treviso. They will rely on their home form to see them through against Edinburgh before hoping to pick up something at the Kingspan Stadium (a losing bonus point would not be a bad result) to compliment what should be a five pointer on the final day against the Italians.
CONNACHT RUGBY (2nd, 63pts)
Remaining fixtures: Munster (H), Treviso (A), Glasgow (H)
Connacht have finally been toppled from their perch at the top of the league following their defeat to Ulster last Friday and now must regroup for their run-in. The games are not easy when they come back either, with Munster visiting the Sportsground, a trip to Italy to take on Treviso and then the defending champions Glasgow come to Galway in Round 22. They will fancy their chances against Munster and will definitely be aiming for five points in Treviso before looking to avoid being doubled by Glasgow. The big question is whether they can keep up their momentum, especially with a crowded schedule.
SCARLETS (3rd, 58pts)
Remaining fixtures: Glasgow (H), Dragons (N), Munster (A)
Nobody really expected the Blues to take four points from the Parc y Scarlets on Saturday and it now leaves the Scarlets in a difficult position. Before that game they would have thought their top four place was more or less guaranteed, now they aren’t so sure, especially with the Warriors coming to Llanelli next up and a trip to Cork on the final day to negotiate. Judgment Day against the Dragons in Cardiff should provide a bit of welcome relief and will probably be a bonus point win given the neutral venue but the Scarlets know they will need at least one more win to maintain their top four standing in May.
GLASGOW WARRIORS (4th, 56pts)
Remaining fixtures: Zebre (A), Scarlets (A), Zebre (H), Connacht (A)
Have recovered admirably from their very slow start to the season and have an extra game to play after postponements earlier in the season. They’ll pick up at least ten points from their two games against Zebre and, on current form, you would back them to pick up another win if not two. They will target the Scarlets having seen them lose to the Blues at the weekend knowing that they can wrap up a top four spot with a win at Scotstoun against Zebre in Round 21. On form they are the best side in the PRO12 currently.
ULSTER RUGBY (5th, 55pts)
Remaining fixtures: Zebre (A), Leinster (H), Ospreys (A)
Will have taken a lot of heart from their victory over Connacht and seeing both the Scarlets and Munster losing at the weekend. Should start their run-in with five points in Italy against Zebre before a very tough game at home to Leinster that will likely determine their final standing in the league – win and they will head to Swansea in high spirits, lose and the top four is probably out of reach. Away form is an issue so they will probably be hoping other teams fall apart around them in order to avoid needing to go away to the Ospreys requiring a victory.
MUNSTER RUGBY (6th, 53pts)
Remaining fixtures: Connacht (A), Edinburgh (H), Scarlets (H)
Saturday presented a glorious opportunity for Munster to seize some momentum, however they couldn’t capitalise and ended up losing to Leinster at the AVIVA Stadium. How much they will be affected by that is questionable given they have a week off to forget about it, however they will need to be much improved for their run-in. A trip to Connacht followed by the visits of Edinburgh and the Scarlets is probably the toughest run-in of the seven teams in with a shout, and on current form you would imagine home form is all they could fall back on right now. Their Champions’ Cup place is under threat.
EDINBURGH RUGBY (7th, 52pts)
Remaining fixtures: Leinster (A), Munster (A), Cardiff (H)
The dark horses for a top four place but we’ll include them anyway as stranger things have happened in sport (yes Leicester City, I’m looking at you). They’ve quietly moved in under the radar and have a very good chance of at least stealing a Champions’ Cup place for next season, potentially at the expense of Munster who they travel to in Round 21. An away game at Leinster is probably a bridge too far for them, but they will focus on the Munster game as a match that could determine which European tournament they’re in next season before a home match against the Blues that won’t be easy but should be a win.
Main Photo
