Pro 12 so far

Pro 12 so far

Leinster
Expected to be up near the top and are on top
Top try scorers (read that they have already broken pro 12 record for most tries scored in a season)
Unbeaten at home in the league this year
Have played a number of young players and still getting results. They are the team to beat, the only downside for them is defence where they have conceded more Points and tries than their rivals, and do have a tricky run in and RCC

Ospreys
3rd best defence in tries conceded
best defence in Points conceded
great home record
The surprise package for some, they appear to be getting themselves back on track to being one of the top teams in the league again. They have gone under the radar this year but top 4 and home semi are certainly possible and winning it outright has to be the target.

Munster
Best defence in tries conceded
2nd best defence in Points conceded
Amazing away record losing just once
This Munster team is unrecognisable from the team that scrapped into the top 6 last year.
Looking like the powerhouse of old and will be pushing for the title

It looks like the top 3 will be made out of these teams,


Scarlets
2nd Best defence in tries conceded
4th best defence in Points conceded
great home record
Last year they were playing a free scoring style, where they scored a lot and conceded a lot. This year they have built up their defence and are much more consistent. Looking good for Europe and a top 4 place.

Ulster
3rd best defence in Points conceded
4th Best defence in tries conceded
great home record
Top 4 is still a real target, the surprise it that with possibly the finest back line in the league that the number of tries scored has been so low.
Good run of games, and Coetzee playing is making a big difference.

Ulster Scarlets fighting it out for 4th

Glasgow
Glasgow just don't seam to be themselves this year, they lost some key players and look like they may lose a few more for next season, my fear for them it that they will drop from being title challengers to being a tough team again.


Cardiff
very middle of the pack season, home and away records ok, points tries scored conceded ok,
looking better than last year and building, hopes of top 6, measured against Welsh rivals, worse than Ospreys and Scarlets better than Dragons, it seams to be their level currently but they will want to build on that, RCC still the target for a decent season

Connacht
Didn't have a good pre season and started very poorly, got saved by the weather against Zebre even. Last year they managed to win the title even with a midseason injury crisis this years crisis with the poor start seams to have set them back. They do look like they are dangerous when fit and top 6 is still a realistic target.

Connacht Cardiff and Glasgow fighting it out for 6th spot

Edinburgh
Prob wish this season would end, Cockrill coming in has to be a positive. Some good players, not playing well, but I think they still have a number of journeymen just not up to the level they want to be at.

Dragons
Say the same every year, Dragons fans will want a good home record to build on, with all but 3 points coming from home, 4 wins and 4 loses it appears that they are working on that, but not as quickly as hoped.

Zebre and Treviso, (may as well put them together), hoped for better but again they are the bottom teams, hopefully Co'S can help Italian rugby overall, and the two Italians teams improve

There is no fight for 6th spot as far as Europe goes - it is Glasgows because 1 Scottish side is guaranteed a place.

Cardiff and Connacht will be in the Challenge Cup

Zebre will go bust in the summer unless the Italian Union bail them out

Right enough on Glasgow but wrong on the outcome, Cardiff and Connacht to fight it out for 7th and into a play-off for a chance to compete in the Champions Cup.

Who has the best defence?

mikey_dragon wrote:Who has the best defence?

It depends on what you class best defence as

Ospreys overall with 233 points conceded and 28 tries conceded
Munster with 234 points conceded and only 24 tries conceded
are the two contenders

Good point re play off but we are both wrong.

From the official site
Fixtures

19-21 May 2017

Play-off 1: Premiership v PRO12
Play-off 2: TOP 14 v PRO12

The PRO12 clubs' opponents to be decided by a draw

The Premiership and TOP 14 clubs will have home advantage



26-28 May 2017

Play-off Final: winner Play-off 1 v winner Play-off 2

Home advantage to be decided by a draw

Its been very good this season.

I commented in another thread that Leinster are set to smash the try scoring record. It was 73 tries by Cardiff in 03-04. Leinster are currently on 69, Ospreys are on 63 and theres 6 games to go.