And a happy blue year awaits! Pro 12 Round 12.

[Leonormous Boozer]

Saturday

Zebre v Edinburgh - 11:00
Treviso v Glasgow - 13:05
Champions Elect v Ulster - 15:00
Connacht v Munster - 17:30

Sunday

Cardiff v Scarlets - 15:00
Dragons v Ospreys - 17:05

Pretending as if we really care about the first two matches, Zebre might nick a win but Treviso will not.

Champions Elect v Ulster - The classy provincial derby will provide no contest folks, the gulf in class in the packs should be giving Ulster fans nightmares, 2016 will not see Ireland's most handsome province lose in Dublin.

Connacht v Munster - Hide the turnips, we want to see some rugby... All the fans in attendance who can't match their shoes and their belt are in for a treat as this contender for game of the weekend should see the home side scrape by Munster's much weakened outfit.

Cardiff v Scarlets - To rival the 'I drive a Passat' derby for game of the weekend this could really go either way, even though its two Welsh sides I'll consider watching it hungover too. Scarlets to start 2017 with a win.

Dragons v Ospreys - O's.

 

[Groundhog]

Munster:

15. Andrew Conway
14. Keith Earls
13. Francis Saili
12. Dan Goggin
11. Ronan O’Mahony
10. Ian Keatley
9. Duncan Williams
1. James Cronin
2. Rhys Marshall
3. Stephen Archer
4. Jean Kleyn
5. Dave Foley
6. Billy Holland (captain)
7. Tommy O’Donnell
8. Jack O’Donoghue
Replacements:
16. Kevin O’Byrne
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. Thomas Du Toit
19. Robin Copeland
20. Conor Oliver
21. Te Aihe Toma
22. Rory Scannell
23. Jaco Taute


Connacht:

15. Tiernan O’Halloran
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Rory Parata
12. Peter Robb
11. Matt Healy
10. Jack Carty
9. Kieran Marmion
1. Denis Buckley
2. Tom McCartney
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Quinn Roux
5. James Cannon
6. Nepia Fox-Matamua
7. Jake Heenan
8. Naulia Dawai
Replacements:
16. Dave Heffernan
17. JP Cooney
18. John Andress
19. Lewis Stevenson
20. Danny Qualter
21. Caolin Blade
22. Ciaran Gaffney
23. Rory Moloney
Nah we'll do Connacht handy I reckon, Connacht are ravaged. First choice back three, but they've lost Dillane, and O'Brien isn't in the team. Connacht were abject against Ulster, and for some reason didn't see the sense in kicking the ball when on their own line despite missing most of their backline impact. Hope it continues for this game. Wow John Andress retires from Munster rugby because he can't keep up with the pace of the game, and three weeks later he's on the Connacht bench. #inspiration #CanprobablykeepupwiththepaceofConnachtsgameastheyreallfat****s. The little Goosen trick is poor form, but we don't need him at Munster and I didn't like his signing to begin with.
Kinda ****** we've not used Arnold for this unless he's injured. When is a better opportunity? Less wholesale changes than I expected to the 23. Still some frontliners available.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Hey. That's the supposedly "historic Scottish/Italian rivalry" you are pooping on there. That was the reason given for putting months between the 1872 cup fixtures anyway.

 

[Groundhog]

Leinster fans creaming at the possibility of being in second place. How far away 2009 seems now. Sad really.

 

[Peat]

Ireland's most handsome province

This description shouldn't be used, even in jest, as long as Leo Cullen is there.

 

[munstermuffin]

Arnold has a ****le and wasn't risked. Rassie is like Schmidt in that guys must do 1 full contact session if they are to be considered. It's like last round. Earls warmed up before game and was 24th man but wasn't played as he did no contact session

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Leinster fans creaming at the possibility of being in second place. How far away 2009 seems now. Sad really.

We finished behind Edinburgh that year, you don't forget **** like that, if only the same could be said about Munster fans and knowing what a trophy looks like!

This description shouldn't be used, even in jest, as long as Leo Cullen is there.

The Kearneys, Joey Carbery, Garry Ringrose etc... make up for that and more, I'll admit we lost a lot with Mads departure.

 

[munstermuffin]

We finished behind Edinburgh that year, you don't forget **** like that, if only the same could be said about Munster fans and knowing what a trophy looks like!


The Kearneys, Joey Carbery, Garry Ringrose etc... make up for that and more, I'll admit we lost a lot with Mads departure.

The irony of that Alpha is Munster have alot more trophies won than Leinster but any real Leinster fan who followed them before the glory days would know that.
And before you say in Pro era I'm on about in History

 

[munstermuffin]

Paul Marshall is very detrimental to Ulster.

 

[Peat]

The Kearneys, Joey Carbery, Garry Ringrose etc... make up for that and more, I'll admit we lost a lot with Mads departure.

Nothing makes up for Leo Cullen. Nothing.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Glasgow squeak past Treviso with Hogg doing okay at flyhalf. Just about keeps their ***le hopes alive. Speaking of handsome buggers, Allan and McKinley had some awful misses at kicks at goal which may have cost Treviso this.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

The irony of that Alpha is Munster have alot more trophies won than Leinster but any real Leinster fan who followed them before the glory days would know that.
And before you say in Pro era I'm on about in History

I wasn't alive during the amateur era I remember Nathan Spooner though so I'm real enough, a quick wiki search has us both on 22 interpros though and Leinster have more pro12s and European cups... I knew it was bad down there the last few years but I didn't realise it was Liverpool FC bad!!

Decent win I suppose, Ross Byrne is probably worth -2 tries in comparison to JC or JSex.

 

[munstermuffin]

I wasn't alive during the amateur era I remember Nathan Spooner though so I'm real enough, a quick wiki search has us both on 22 interpros though and Leinster have more pro12s and European cups... I knew it was bad down there the last few years but I didn't realise it was Liverpool FC bad!!

Decent win I suppose, Ross Byrne is probably worth -2 tries in comparison to JC or JSex.

I suppose it depends on which Leinster supporter as I said most only seem to be fans since 09. And as I said most Leinster fans who actually followed through tough years would know. Not the soccer ones that switch when success stops. You know like some Liverpool ones
But as I say the glory supporters may see it another way. Things ain't that bad down here just I've met both kinds just checking which you were

Anyway here in Galway it horrific. We ahead but looking messy and conditions are effecting us. Connacht look like they've tries in them and will have huge wind 2nd half

 

[Saint4805]

Glasgow squeak past Treviso with Hogg doing okay at flyhalf. Just about keeps their ***le hopes alive. Speaking of handsome buggers, Allan and McKinley had some awful misses at kicks at goal which may have cost Treviso this.

Yeah first time he's played fly half since the last Lions tour I think. GT's priority seems to be Europe this year with it being his last one with a cheeky top 4 finish in the Pro12 to remain in the hunt.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

Very sloppy second half from Leinster who let a 4 try bonus point slip through their fingers.

Rory O'Loughlin is becoming a real asset. He's unlikely to push ahead of either Garry Ringrose or Robbie Henshaw in midfield given their age profile but could have a real future on the wing. Fergus McFadden and Isa Nacewa aren't getting any younger and Zane Kirchner is likely gone after this season. I'd rather see Leinster recruit a NIQ 13 who can fill in for Garry Ringrose and push O'Loughlin as a potential starter on the wing.

 

[munstermuffin]

Very sloppy second half from Leinster who let a 4 try bonus point slip through their fingers.

Rory O'Loughlin is becoming a real asset. He's unlikely to push ahead of either Garry Ringrose or Robbie Henshaw in midfield given their age profile but could have a real future on the wing. Fergus McFadden and Isa Nacewa aren't getting any younger and Zane Kirchner is likely gone after this season. I'd rather see Leinster recruit a NIQ 13 who can fill in for Garry Ringrose and push O'Loughlin as a potential starter on the wing.

Got a great try today Snoop