RaboDirect Pro12 Week Twenty One.
Munster prpared for their visit to France with a 30-24 loss in Wales. The Irish Province have no chance in this years Pro 12 and so they rested players ready for the big push in France against Clermont who are in the opposite position as they won over the weekend and now head the Top 14 as well as having home advantage in the Heineken Cup.
So we had four games on Friday night and opened with Munster going down at Newport Gwent Dragons 30-24. This still leaves the Dragons adrift in 11th place, but makes their points a bit more respectable five behind Edinburgh. Just after this and Glasgow warriors booked their play-off spot with a convincing win against the Ospreys 35-17. It was already 22-3 by the break and Warriors fans were already celebrating, whilst the few Ospreys supporters were wondering if it would leave them with to much to do in the last fixture. Ulster meanwhile look as if top will be their right as they won 18-34 away to Connacht and now host the Blues in the last game, though Leinster will still hope to catch them. Last up for Friday and Treviso handed out a beating to Edinburgh 30-10. This was still tight at the break at 13-10. However a good second period saw the home side home and secure in mid table.
The last two games were played on Saturday and Sunday, with first up Scarlets hosting the Blues and winning 24-6. This pushes the Sacrlets up to fourth in the table and with Treviso visiting they must be hopeful of taking a play-off spot. Last and Zebre went down again at home, this time to Leinster 22-41. Oh how they would have liked the fianl whistle at half-time, when they were drawing 17-17. All this in front of one of their biggest crowds.
So one wrong this week as Munster lost. Here are all the results:
Results Week Twenty One
Fri 19 Apr 19:00 Dragons 30-24 Munster Rodney Parade
Fri 19 Apr 19:35 Glasgow 35-17 Ospreys Scotstoun BBC ALBA
Fri 19 Apr 19:45 Connacht 18-34 Ulster Sportsground TG4
Fri 19 Apr 20:30 Treviso 30-10 Edinburgh Stadio di Monigo SportItalia
Sat 20 Apr 18:30 Scarlets 24-6 Blues Parc y Scarlets S4C
Sun 21 Apr 16:00 Zebre 22-41 Leinster Stadio del Tricolore SportItalia
A European weekend and so just one catch up game as Treviso look to continue their good home form against Connacht. Our prediction is as usual in bold:
Fixture Week Catch-Up
Fri 26 Apr 20:30 Treviso v Connacht Stadio di Monigo