Last weekend’s European Cup rugby saw two Guinness PRO14 sides come from behind to seal their Semi-Final berths. Leinster overcame Ulster, as the top two from Conference B clashed at Aviva Stadium and Munster scraped past Edinburgh in another all-PRO14 cracker at BT Murrayfield. The Guinness PRO14 returns this weekend with two matches on Friday, four on Saturday and one on Sunday.
In the Conference tables, Glasgow Warriors still hold a slight advantage over Munster in Conference A, while Pool B Leinster still plough on with their home Semi-Final already in the bag. It looks to be going right down to the wire for second place in Conference B. Benetton and Ulster should both be wary of Edinburgh Rugby as well as each other, especially as the latter two play each other in Round 20.
What’s At Stake
The weekend kicks off with Glasgow Warriors v Ulster at the Scotstoun Stadium (live on Premier Sports 1, eir Sport 2, DAZN 19:35). Warriors have a Final Series berth secured but are battling Munster in the final three rounds for top spot in Conference A. Ulster have three clubs breathing down their necks battling it out for second and third spot in Conference B, but currently lead the charge by four points. Ulster prevailed 36-15 in Belfast last April, taking their head to head to 17-14, including some pretty titanic battles between these two great clubs.
The other Friday night kick off is across the Irish Sea in the city of Cork; Munster v Cardiff Blues (live on Premier Sports 2, eir Sport 1, S4C, DAZN and TG4, 19:35). Munster are looking to down Glasgow for top spot whilst Cardiff Blues aim to pip Connacht to the final Conference A Final Series spot. The higher placed side, Munster, has won 18 of their 31 previous match-ups, but Cardiff Blues came out on top, 37-13 in the Welsh capital last September. Blues come into this one in slightly better form, having beaten Scarlets, the Isuzu Southern Kings and Edinburgh in their last three Championship matches, whilst Munster lost to Scarlets in between victories over Ospreys and Zebre.
Saturday’s PRO14 action commences with Toyota Cheetahs v Ospreys at the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa (live on Premier Sports 2, Super Sport 1 & CSN,DAZN 16:30). In just three previous meetings the Cheetahs have won one to the Ospreys two. Most recently the Welsh side won 46-14 at home in September. There is little but pride riding on this one as Cheetahs are already out of the Final Series equation whilst Ospreys would need to win all three of their remaining games, and have neither Cardiff Blues nor Connacht pick up one win from their own three remaining matches.
Zebre face Connacht at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi (live on eir Sport 1, TG4, DAZN 17:30). The two teams have done battle on 13 occasions, Connacht lead the head to head 10-3. September’s meeting saw the dominant side triumph 32-13. Zebre have still not added to their three victories all season, whilst Connacht have beaten Benetton and Ospreys in recent rounds since losing to Glasgow in February. If Connacht win and Munster beat Cardiff Blues then the Galway-based side will have their best chance of sealing a Quarter-Final berth.
Two of the top three in Conference B do battle on Saturday as Leinster play Benetton Rugby (live on eir Sport 1, DAZN and TG4, 19:45). Leinster are well clear at the top of Conference B and Benetton will arrive with clear intentions on repeating last year’s surprise win in Dublin. Leinster will be eager to build momentum after their European Cup win over Ulster and already this season Leinster have handled Benetton comfortably with a 31-3 victory in Treviso back in October.
The Sunday fixture will be played at the Madibaz Stadium in Port Elizabeth, South Africa (live on Free Sports, Super Sport 1 & CSN, eir Sport 2, DAZN 14:00SA/13:00GMT). This fixture between the Isuzu Southern Kings v Dragons will go a long way to deciding who avoids finishing bottom in Conference B. Only once in the past three meetings have the Kings prevailed, but Dragons edged a high-scoring match 27-22 at Rodney Parade last September.
Opta Top Performers – Round 18
Most tackles: 30 Mick Kearney (Leinster)
Most carries: 23 Bill Mata (Edinburgh)
Defenders Beaten: 12 Dan Evans (Ospreys)
Offloads: 3 Cory Allen (Ospreys)
Clean Breaks: 5 Dan Evans (Ospreys)
Metres made: 154 Dan Evans (Ospreys)
Turnovers Won: 3 multiple players
Lineout Steals: 1 multiple players
Opta Top Performers – Overall
Most tackles: 246 Tienie Burger (Kings)
Most Carries: 244 Bill Mata (Edinburgh)
Defenders beaten: 61 Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh)
Offloads: 28 Monty Ioane (Benetton)
Clean breaks: 28 Sibhale Maxwane (Toyota Cheetahs)
Metres made: 1011 Malcolm Jaer (Toyota Cheetahs)
Turnovers won: 24 Olly Robinson (Cardiff Blues)
Lineout Steals: 7 Junior Pokomela (Toyota Cheetahs)
ISUZU SOUTHERN KINGS v DRAGONS
Overall Guinness PRO14 head to head record:
Played 3, Kings won 1, Dragons won 2.
Did you know?
- Isuzu Southern Kings most recent victory in the Guinness PRO14 was 25-21 at home to Edinburgh on 26 January.
- Both of Kings’ victories this season have been against Scottish opponents at Madibaz Stadium.
- Kings only victory over a Welsh region was against Dragons at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in March 2018.
- Dragons most recent victory in the Guinness PRO14 was by a single point against Ospreys at Rodney Parade on 30 December.
- Dragons have not won away from home in the Championship for over four years, since beating Benetton in Treviso.
- Dragons record against South African opponents in the PRO14 is own two, lost two.
- The two sides have met on three previous occasions, all games being won by the home side on the day.
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