5 / 64
Welcome back to this match in Round 12 of the Guinness PRO12 and it is at this time
of year that the push for the Play-Offs as well as automatic qualification places for
Europe are at stake.
Add to the mix the drama of the RBS 6 Nations, that will feature 117 Guinness PRO12
players, and it all amounts to a key time of year for the unions, clubs, players and
fans alike.
Many of you will have followed the recent games in Europe and will join me in
congratulating Connacht and Newport Gwent Dragons who, for the second
successive year, have reached the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup.
Ulster will be keen to maintain their momentum and move top of the table should
they win tonight. The Newport Gwent Dragons too had a notable win over Leinster
last week. Both teams will now want to improve their standing in the Guinness
PRO12 table, so there’s a lot at stake this evening.
Once again, the league table tells the story of how competitive the Guinness PRO12
is. Just eleven points separates table toppers Scarlets (40 points) from eighth place
Glasgow Warriors (29 points) and, despite the seasonal weather, on average over
four tries have been scored per match.
Throw in a couple more stats including the average winning margin (the difference
between points scored and conceded in a game) stands at 9.66 and that 56 percent
of the games played to date has resulted in the losers finishing within seven
points of the opposing teams and therefore claiming a bonus point, once again
epitomises the strength, depth and quality of the teams in the Guinness PRO12
championship.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish the teams, players and officials
all the very best for their games this weekend including those who are competing
or involved in the RBS 6 Nations Championship.
Enjoy the game.