Guinness Pro12 Round Four Preview and Predictions

Guinness Pro12 Round Four Preview and Predictions

  • Scarlets, Edinburgh and Munster all look to maintain 100 per cent records
  • Zebre will be hoping for to pick up first point of the competition
  • Treviso and Ospreys face each other on Saturday with bot sides still searching for a first win this term

Friday 16th October
Connacht v Zebre
Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons
Scarlets v Leinster
Edinburgh v Ulster
Saturday 17th October
Munster v Cardiff Blues
Benetton Treviso v Ospreys


Marquee Game
Edinburgh v Ulster
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - APRIL 17: The Edinburgh Rugby team celebrate with Sam Hadalgo-Clyne after he scored a try in the second half during the European Rugby Challenge Cup Semi Final match, between Edinburgh Rugby and Newport Gwent Dragons at Murrayfield Stadium on April 17, 2015 in Edinburgh Scotland. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

Two of the early pace setters do battle at Murrayfield on Friday night, as they fight to become the outright leaders of the competition.

The pair both enter the game on the back of solid wins last time out, where Edinburgh dominated the Ospreys 20-9 to move joint top of the table. Ulster also put in an excellent display in week three, crushing Italian outfit Benetton Treviso 48-7.

The win moved Ulster up to fifth in the division, winning two of their three games. Their only defeat came in week two when they were narrowly overcome 22-12 by current league leaders Scarlets.

Ruck Prediction: It will be a game that will go right down to the wire, a close affair throughout, but with home field advantage, Edinburgh should be able to come away with the victory just. A late score could very well settle this one.
Edinburgh by 3


Connacht v Zebre

Connacht will be hoping the current form book this season continues as every game they have featured in this campaign has been won by the side playing at home. Zebre have lost their last nine Guinness PRO12 encounters and have not obtained a league point since last season’s round 19 defeat at home to Scarlets.

The hosts put in an impressive performance last time out against Cardiff Blue, winning 36-31 which moved them up to fourth in the table, one point off the top spot. Zebre, on the other hand, are bottom of the league with zero points from three games after losing against Scarlets last time out.
Ruck Prediction: This should be a comfortable win for the home side as their Italian opposition have looked less than impressive all season long.
Connacht by 14


Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons

Scotland does battle against Wales on Friday night in round four of the Guinness Pro12 as the Glasgow Warriors go up against the Newport Gwent Dragons. Both teams will be looking to put their last round defeat behind them. The Warriors narrowly lost out to Munster while the Dragons were crushed by Leinster.

Ruck Prediction: Home field advantage will be enough to see Glasgow home in this one, in a game where both teams have only won one of their three games this season. However, it will be the Warriors who will be looking down on their rivals after this one.
Glasgow by 10


Scarlets v Leinster

League leaders Scarlets come up against a side high on confidence in Leinster when they face off at Parc y Scarlets on Friday evening. The Irish side demolished the Newport Gwent Dragons last time out, thanks to Fijian Isa Nacewa, who scored two tries. Scarlets dismantled a poor Zebre in Italy 8-20, thanks to a fine kicking display by Dan Jones.

Ruck Prediction: The early pace setters will be in for a tough game against Leinster, who currently sit in sixth place, but they have enough about them to continue their 100 per cent record and maintain their lead at the top of the Guinness Pro 12 division.
Scarlets by 12


Munster v Cardiff Blues

The first of Saturdays games see Munster take on the Cardiff Blues at Irish Independent Park, with the home side hoping to keep hold of their 100 per cent record following three straight wins. Last time out they saw off the Glasgow Warriors in a close affair 23-21, largely thanks to the boot of Ian Keatley. Cardiff Blues will be hoping to add to their one win this season, which came in the opening week when they battered Zebre 61-13.

Ruck Prediction: It will be yet another tight affair in the Pro12, where any side could come away with the points, but Munster will be the side to claim the victory, keeping their 100 percent record intact in the process.

Munster by 5


Benetton Treviso v Ospreys

The Stadio Comunale di Monigo sees Italian side Benetton Treviso go up against Welsh side Ospreys on Saturday. Treviso are yet to pick up a win in any of their three games this season. However, they have claimed losing bonus points, which means they sit one point ahead of their opponents in the table. Ospreys have also lost all three, with the latest defeat coming again Edinburgh, where they failed to score a single try.

Ruck Prediction: If all the predictions are correct during these two days, Ospreys will be the only team to claim an away victory in round four of the competition. They have had a bad start to the season, but they should put their troubles behind them with a win here.
Ospreys by 7