Monday, 27 April 2015

pro 12 table

With 2 games to go in the league I think that you should see the table here it is

Team
Played
Won
Drawn
Lost
For
Against
Bonus
Points
Glasgow
20
15
1
4
498
329
8
70
Munster
20
14
1
5
508
317
10
68
Ulster
20
14
1
5
491
317
9
67
Ospreys
20
14
1
5
501
328
8
66
Leinster
20
9
3
8
457
352
11
53
Scarlet’s
20
9
3
8
419
369
7
49
Edinburgh
20
10
1
9
371
364
6
48
Connacht
20
9
1
10
387
385
6
44
Dragons
20
7
0
13
347
429
9
37
Blues
20
6
1
13
395
524
4
30
Treviso
20
3
1
16
293
614
4
18
Zebre
20
3
0
17
251
570
3
15


I do plan to do the rugby world cup at the end of the year with the final on Halloween but there will be more events which include the European finals and the 4 nations but as I have done I will go to different events when the season is over. I never just do rugby as at the moment I am doing snooker and there will be other sports but they bare on other blogs of mine

27-04-15 PRO 12

PRO 12 OVERVIEW

EDINBURGH 37-0 ZEBRE

IMPORTANT 5 POINTS IN EDINBURGH'S PUSH FOR CHAMPIONS CUP


A brace of tries from flanker Roddy Grant helped Edinburgh secure a crucial bonus-point Pro12 triumph over last-placed Zebre at Murrayfield.
Dougie Fife, Ross Ford and Stuart McInally also crossed for the hosts as they bludgeoned the ill-disciplined Italians into submission up front.
Edinburgh began to establish the physical dominance that would characterise their victory, the pack's punishing drive allowing open-side Grant to dive over.
Sam Hidalgo-Clyne converted, and added a penalty with a quarter of the match gone as tight-head Chistolini hinged and buckled under pressure from Al Dickinson in the scrum.
The scrum-half probed a delightful box kick in behind the Zebre cover defence to lay the platform for the hosts' second try. Anton Bresler stole the line-out five metres from the Italian line, and smart handling from Grant in midfield allowed Sam Beard to provide Fife with the easiest of finishes.
Hidalgo-Clyne converted again, and as the Edinburgh front-row continued to pulverise their counterparts in the tight, referee Leighton Hodges sent Chistolini packing for a 10-minute spell on the touchline.
From the resultant Edinburgh line-out, Ben Toolis was hauled down in the air, allowing Hidalgo-Clyne to strike from the tee again, stretching the home lead to 20 points, and Toniolatti was shown a yellow card before the interval for, in the words of Hodges, "interfering" with the airborne Tim Visser's descent while contesting a high ball.
Edinburgh's scrum supremacy continued in the second half, as further set-piece penalties yielded a third Zebre sin-binning, this time loose-head Aguero seeing the flash of Hodges' yellow.
And they scored a well-worked third try from a close-range line-out move clearly honed on the Murrayfield training pitches, as Dickinson received the ball, spun and fed McInally, who sent Ford rumbling over in the corner.
Hidalgo-Clyne missed the conversion, but all-action Grant bagged his second, and vitally, Edinburgh's fourth, from another fearsome 22m maul, the scrum-half bisecting the posts on this occasion.



ULSTER 26-10 LEINSTER

ULSTER WIN SECURES PLAY OFF SEMI


It had all started so well for Leinster as they pushed deep into Ulster territory and benefitted from an early penalty strike from Jimmy Gopperth.
After six minutes, things got even better for the visitors as they sought to rescue their already fragile-looking play-off hopes, when Te'o smashed through some weak tackling to score. Gopperth added the extras and Leinster were 10-0 up and looking comfortable.
Ulster needed to respond and they got over the line with Henderson. Ruan Pienaar converted his 12th-minute effort and then added a penalty shortly afterwards to tie the scores.
There then followed a moment of controversy after Henderson was tip-tackled by Sean O'Brien with referee John Lacey and the television match official opting for a yellow card for the Ireland flanker instead of the red one the home crowed were baying for.
Ulster, though, failed to score during O'Brien's absence, but did take the lead just before half-time through another Pienaar penalty.
Midway through the second half, Rob Kearney was sin-binned, giving Pienaar a 63rd-minute penalty which he duly slotted to stretch the lead to 16-10.
Three minutes later the South African nailed a monster effort from just inside Leinster's half and the home side now had a nine-point lead.
Leinster's dismal night was completed with eight minutes remaining when a huge Ulster power play off a scrum on Leinster's line ultimately saw Gilroy dance through for his 11th Pro12 try of the season.
Pienaar converted to make it 26-10 and the game ended with 14-man Ulster - replacement prop Andy Warwick had been binned - defending their line as if their lives depended on it.

CONNACHT 13-31 GLASGOW

GLASGOW WIN KEEPS THEM ON TOP


However, Connacht's early promise then began to be undermined by a series of set-piece errors.
After a line-out over-throw from Tom McCartney, the home side were then punished following a botched scrum as Fijian Matawalu ran in his first try after a brilliant one-handed off-load from Fraser Brown.
Following Finn Russell's conversion miss, Carty had two glorious penalty chances to extend but was badly off-target.
Connacht's failure to put more points on the board was emphasised when the Scots stung them with two opportunist tries in the three minutes before half-time.
A series of missed tackles allowed Seymour to sail through midfield and his pass put Hogg over to the right of the posts.
Russell converted and also added the extras to Glasgow's third touchdown which saw Matawalu intercept Henshaw's attempted pass as Connacht tried to counter from deep in injury-time.
Seymour's 47th-minute sin-binning for a ruck offence gave Connacht the chance to produce pressure and a series of attacks eventually yielded Muldowney's try as he reached to score.
Carty's conversion cut the margin to 19-13 but his horrible penalty miss from in front of the posts on the hour seemed to knock the stuffing out of Connacht.
Despite having flanker Chris Fusaro in the sin-bin, Glasgow secured the bonus point on 68 minutes as replacement Josh Strauss's break set up a simple finish for Ashe.
Glasgow's clinical display was wrapped up five minutes later as Seymour scored in the corner after some slick passing.

BLUES 23-31 OSPREYS

OSPREYS WIN TO HELP EUROPEAN PROSPECTS


Anscombe was the first to make an impression, slotting over two penalties as Blues dominated the early exchanges.
They benefited from an uncharacteristically sloppy start from Ospreys, whose handling errors denied them a try as a Josh Matavesi knock-on meant Dan Baker's effort was disallowed.
Blues were also left rueing their own mistakes when Tom Isaacs failed to gather from a promising position after Rhys Patchell's piercing run.
That proved to be costly as Ospreys produced a classy passage of play to score the opening try five minutes before the break.
After a neat exchange of passes between Biggar and Rhys Webb, loose-head prop Nicky Smith shoved Joaquin Tuculet out of the way before deftly offloading for Evans to touch down in the corner.
Their second try was similarly impressive, set up by a barnstorming break by captain Alun Wyn Jones, whose offload allowed Biggar to scamper over from 20 yards.
Momentum was well and truly with Ospreys at this point and they made it pay as swift hands from their backline set up Grabham to cross for their third score.
There was a nervy moment for the former Pro12 champions when Navidi swatted away a limp tackle from Scott Baldwin to score the Blues' first try.
Any hopes of a comeback were soon extinguished, however, as Ospreys moved into a commanding 31-16 lead with Biggar's penalty and an excellent team move culminating in John's try.
Blues replacement Fish intercepted and ran the length of the field to score with the last play of the game, but victory was already assured for Ospreys

MUNSTER 30-19 TREVISO

MUNSTER BONUS POINT WIN TO GIVE HOME SEMI FINAL SHOT


Ian Keatley kicked Munster into a fourth-minute lead which was extended five minutes later as Zebo barged his way over after concerted pressure.
Stander powered his way over for another try in the 18th minute before Luamanu opened Treviso's account as he finished off a rolling maul.
Jayden Hayward's successful conversion cut Munster's lead to 13-7 but the home side were back in control a minute before the interval as impressive flanker O'Donnell brushed past some weak tackling to score following a line-out move.
Keatley's conversion left Munster 20-7 ahead at the interval but Treviso hit back straight after the resumption after wing Pratichetti completing a flowing move.
Munster's penalty try on 67 minutes clinched the bonus point although Ragusi had the final scoring say as he dummied to score another fine Treviso try six minutes from time.

DRAGONS10-29 SCARLETS

SCARLETS WIN PUTS THEM IN EUROPEAN SPOT


Inside centre Jack Dixon carried powerfully and, although his offload to Morgan looked close to being forward, his midfield partner sped over to touch down.
With that try coming between a penalty apiece for both sides, Dragons led 10-3 as the first half neared its end.
But the game was turned on its head as Scarlets scored 14 points in five scintillating minutes.
Wales hooker Owens sparked the purple patch as he barged over from close range, albeit with referee George Clancy seemingly impeding some of the Dragons' would-be tacklers.
If their first try was fortuitous, Scarlets' second was pure brilliance.
Full-back Liam Williams chipped over an on-rushing defence inside his own half, gathered smartly before arrowing towards the Dragons' line and offloading to his namesake Scott, who cantered over for a slick score.
Scarlets began the second half as they ended the first, Liam Williams turning from architect to finisher as he weaved his way past some meek Dragons tackling for the west Wales region's third try.
A Rhys Priestland penalty extended their lead to 24-10.
And, with a little over 20 minutes left, the fly-half fed wing Robinson to cross in the corner for the bonus point try.



Friday, 24 April 2015

24-4-15 pro 12 predictions and teams

PRO 12 FIXTURES

FRIDAY

EDINBURGH V ZEBRE














Tom Brown replaces injured full-back Jack Cuthbert as two of last week's try scorers, Dougie Fife and Tim Visser, retain their roles on the wing.
Props Matias Aguero and captain Marco Bortolami return for the Parma side.
Edinburgh: Tom Brown, Dougie Fife, Sam Beard, Andries Strauss, Tim Visser, Phil Burleigh, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne; Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, WP Nel, Anton Bresler, Ben Toolis, Stuart McInally, Roddy Grant, Mike Coman (capt).
Replacements: Neil Cochrane, Rory Sutherland, John Andress, Fraser McKenzie, Cornell Du Preez, Nathan Fowles, Tom Heathcote, Carl Bezuidenhout
Zebre: Hendrik Daniller, Giulio Toniolatti, Mirco Bergamasco, Gonzalo Garcia, David Odiete, Luciano Orquera, Guglielmo Palazzani; Samuela Vunisa, Andries Van Schalkwyk, Filippo Cristiano, Marco Bortolami (capt), Valerio Bernabò, Dario Chistolini, Andrea Manici, Matias Aguero.
Replacements: Oliviero Fabiani, Andrea Lovotti, Luca Redolfini, Andrei Mahu, Filippo Ferrarini, Alberto Chillon, Matteo Pratichetti, Brendon Leonard.
PEDDICTIOND
I cannot see anything here except for an Edinburgh win but the question has to be will they get the bonus point I say no. I just do not think that they have got enough flair to win.  

ULSTER V LEINSTER

 











Ulster have named an unchanged team for Friday night's important Pro12 clash with Irish rivals Leinster.
Leinster winger Fergus McFadden has been ruled out with a thumb injury and his place goes to Zane Kirchner.
Neil Doak says his Ulster side will face determined Leinster
There are three changes in the pack from Sunday's European Cup defeat by Toulon with Richardt Strauss, Dominic Ryan and Jordi Murphy coming in.
Ulster: L Ludik; T Bowe, J Payne, D Cave, C Gilroy; P Jackson, R Pienaar; C Black, R Best (capt), W Herbst, D Tuohy, F Van der Merwe, I Henderson, C Henry, R Wilson.
Replacements: R Herring, A Warwick, B Ross, R Diack, C Ross, P Marshall, I Humphreys, S McCloskey.
Leinster: R Kearney; Z Kirchner, B Te'o, G D'Arcy, L Fitzgerald; J Gopperth, I Boss; C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross, D Toner, M McCarthy, S O'Brien, D Ryan, J Heaslip (capt).
Replacements: S Cronin; J McGrath, T Furlong, B Marshall, J Murphy, E Reddan, I Madigan, D Fanning.
PREDICTION
For both teams for me this is a play-off both teams for different reasons. Ulster to assure a play-off spot and Leinster to get back in the pack. For that reason alone I think no bonus points will be given and this match will be very close.  

SATURDAY

CONNACHT V GLASGOW

PREDICTION













I cannot see anything here except a Glasgow win but I think that Connacht will be able to get enough to get the loosing bonus point but Glasgow are too strong.  
BLUES V OSPREYS

PREDICTION












This all Welsh battle like most derbies nothing is assured and this being a Welsh day of rugby doesn't help either. I cannot see the Ospreys running away with this as I feel that it will be close but I can not see the Blues getting the bonus point but not by much.

MUNSTER V TREVISO

PREDICTION









Munster will win this match and win it well to get into second place in the table., There is definitely too much between the sides and Munster being at home eliminates any hop of a shock and that is what it would be. For me it is about the bonus point and I think they will get that too.

DRAGONS V SCARLETS

PREDICTION










An all Welsh derby again and this a lot more closer match and a match that I think will make the fans happy I would not want to predict this one but go Scarlet’s as they are higher in the table and every point mattering. 

Monday, 20 April 2015

20-04-14 EUROPEAN RUGBY

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP
CLERMONT 13-9 SARACENS
FOFANA LUCK SHOWS FRENCH LUCK


Charlie Hodson hit a drop goal on 14 minutes
Clermont hit back with a try in the corner from a good set up on 18 but no try given
Clermont then hit a penalty off the post
Saracens score a penalty on 35 Fofana catches a beautiful kick on 43 minutes to give Clermont the advantage
Clermont score a pen on 71 which meant that Saracens needed a try they couldn't get the ball so they lost
TOULON 25-20 LEINSTER
FOR HOW LONG WILL MADAGEN BE HAUNTED BY HABANA


Toulon should have scored a try on 4 minutes but Halfpenny scores pen on 8 minutes
Madigan equalises on 11 minutes
Madigan then scores pen for Leinster on 18 minutes and on 20 to give Leinster a 6 point lead
Halfpenny then brings it back to a 3 point deficit on 29 minutes and then level on 55
Toulon then leads on 67 minutes
Madigan then scores on 69 a quite long distance.
Leinster had a chance on 77 to win it
Leigh Halfpenny scores on 83 and Madigan equalises on 84
Halfpenny scores on 89
Bad pass from Madigan allowed Habana to run half the pitch to score the try converted by Halfpenny
Sean O Brian scores from a rolling maul conversion hits the post






EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP
EDINBURGH 43- 16 DRAGONS
EDINBURGH OUTCLASS DRAGONS


Dragons score an early pen Edinburgh equalise
 Intelligent ball to Mc Analley who finds the space to run down the wing for the try
Visser gets pass from Jones and is able to find the space
Harris scores Dragons first try with persistent pressure on the line
Tulis charges down Dragons ball and scores for Edinburgh
Clyne runs through hole from scrum ball but there was no one there for Dragons
Beard gets the ball on the wing to secure a comfortable Edinburgh wins
GLOSTER 30-19 EXETER
HOOK DENY EXETER DREAM


Both teams start with early penalties
Good kick and catch from James Hook for Gloster
Hook then scored a penalty just before half time
Exeter then came into the match with penalties
Tom Sevege scored a try on 67
Tayone scored a try on 75
Johnny May scored a try to secure the final spot



Friday, 17 April 2015

EUROPEAN RUGBY SEMI FINALS 17-04-15

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS CUP 

SATURDAY 18TH APRIL 3.15

CLERMONT AUVERNE V SARACENS

TEAMS













Saracens forward Billy Vunipola has had his citing for allegedly striking an opponent with his head dismissed.
The 22-year-old is now available to play in Saturday's European Champions Cup semi-final at Clermont Auvergne.
The England number eight had pleaded not guilty of striking Leicester's Mathew Tait with his head.
Leicester centre Vereniki Goneva was suspended for one week though, after being cited for striking Saracens' Kelly Brown with his forearm.
The ban includes the Tigers game against London Welsh on 25 April.
A Rugby Football Union (RFU) disciplinary panel made the decisions at a meeting in London on Tuesday evening.
Both incidents occurred during Saracens' 22-6 win over Leicester in the Premiership on Saturday.


PREDICTION

I am not that sure about this match and think it will be close . Saracens are second in the table. Saracens are in a bit of a run of form winning there last 4 and 5 of their last 6 but it is in France. Clermount are in second in the table but are in a bad run of form so Saracens might be able to get an edge.
SUNDAY 19TH APRIL 3.15PM

TOLOUN V LEINSTER

TEAMS











Toulon are hopeful Leigh Halfpenny will be fit for the European Cup semi-final against Leinster on Sunday, 19 April despite being forced off with a shoulder injury in his comeback game.
Halfpenny suffered a shoulder sprain while being tackled during the Top 14 leaders' weekend win over Grenoble.
The 26-year-old had been absent with concussion sustained playing for Wales against Italy in the Six Nations.

PREDICTION

As much as I hate to say it I think that Toulon will win this semi-final and win it well as they are the strongest team in the world at the moment. In my opinion with Leinsters form at the moment if they won this it would be a massive shock. Toloun have got form on their side but they have lost their last match.

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP 

FRIDAY 17TH APRIL 7.45

EDINBURGH V DRAGONS

TEAMS












Captain Mike Coman and scrum-half Sam Hidalgo-Clyne are back in for the Murrayfield contest, while Jack Cuthbert replaces the injured Greig Tonks at full-back.
Dragons have made one starting change.
Prop Dan Way takes over at tight-head with Brok Harris switching to loose-head instead of Phil Price.
Price drops to the bench while Wales number eight Taulupe Faletau starts after returning to a starting spot in their Pro12 win over Leinster last weekend.
Sam Beard is another Edinburgh player to come in at outside centre and Stuart McInally plays at blindside.
A welcome return to the home bench comes in the shape of back row Cornell Du Preez, who sustained a serious lower leg injury in the Pro12 win over Dragons in October.
The win was the Welsh region's fourth consecutive victory in all competitions, and the first time they have done the double over the Irish province.
Edinburgh: Jack Cuthbert, Dougie Fife, Sam Beard, Andries Strauss, Tim Visser, Phil Burleigh, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, WP Nel, Anton Bresler, Ben toolis, Stuart McInally, Roddy Grant, Mike Coman (capt).
Replacements: Neil Cochrane, Rory Sutherland, John Andress, Fraser McKenzie, Cornell Du Preez, Nathan Fowles, Tom Heatcote, Tom Brown.
Dragons: Jason Tovey; Tom Prydie, Tyler Morgan, Jack Dixon, Hallam Amos; Dorian Jones, Jonathan Evans; Brok Harris, T. Rhys Thomas (capt), Dan Way, James Thomas, Cory Hill, Nick Crosswell, Nic Cudd, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Phil Price, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, James Benjamin, Luc Jones, Ashton Hewitt, Geraint Rhys Jones.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/32330852





PREDICTION

Both are Pro 12 sides. Edinburgh is higher in the table but only by 6 points and the fact that they are at home gives them a huge advantage to start with. Dragons might be on a bit of a high after last week when they beat Leinster and Edinburgh lost heavily to Munster. Edinburgh had won 3 lost 3 while the Dragons have the same record but the dragons have had a couple of big wins against Ulster and Leinster which might give them confidence going into this game. I think that Edinburgh will win but home advantage is the thing that is swaying it.

SATURDAY 18TH APRIL 7.45

GLOSTER V EXETER








PREDICTION

Both are English premiership sides. Exeter is higher up in the table in 4th position and chasing the semi-finals while Gloster are in 9th and chasing a Champions cup spot. For Exeter to get to a European final would be a huge achievement.  Exeter have won 5 lost 1 of the last 6 games while Gloster have won 1 drawn 1 lost 4 but are on a bad run so if Exeter can start this match early they should win it quite comfortably but as Gloster are such a big club and are at home if they don’t I think it will be close and Exteter will still win