Friday, September 22

Cheetahs v Leinster 7:00 PM Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Glasgow Warriors v Munster 7:35 PM Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Ulster v Dragons 7:35 PM Kingspan Stadium, Belfast
Benetton Treviso v Ospreys 7:35 PM Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso

Saturday, September 23

Connacht v Cardiff Blues 3:15 PM Sportsground, Galway
Southern Kings v Zebre 6:35 PM Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Scarlets v Edinburgh 7:35 PM Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli

Let's hope we can put last week behind us and move on.
The big question for this coming weekend, can the Dragons do what Scarlets failed to do?
Beating Ulster on their home turf.

Cheetahs are above Cardiff and on a par with the Ospreys after round 3.

Guinness Pro14

Conference A

Last updated 17 September 2017 at 10:14
1 Munster 3 3 0 0 106 37 2 14
2 Glasgow 3 3 0 0 69 41 1 13
3 Connacht 3 1 0 2 52 49 2 6
4 Ospreys 3 1 0 2 48 65 1 5
5 Cheetahs 3 1 0 2 91 132 1 5
6 Blues 3 0 0 3 38 77 1 1
7 Zebre 3 0 0 3 62 117 1 1

Conference B

Last updated 17 September 2017 at 10:14
1 Leinster 3 3 0 0 107 35 3 15
2 Ulster 3 3 0 0 90 53 1 13
3 Scarlets 3 2 0 1 118 47 3 11
4 Edinburgh 3 2 0 1 72 48 2 10
5 Treviso 3 1 0 2 37 72 1 5
6 Dragons 3 1 0 2 55 82 0 4
7 Kings 3 0 0 3 30 120 0 0

Sorry! It was nicely in columns until I posted it.
Maybe the Admins can post a table.
Anyway, I'm sure most of us can make out what's going on.
Conference A - Ospreys 4th Blues 6th out of 7
Conference B - Ospreys 3rd Dragons 6th out of 7

Not pretty reading

It's early days yet, and the big sides haven't really had to play each other yet. Glasgow have played Connacht and the Blues, Leinster have played the Dragons, Blues and Kings (whom I wouldn't back against Zebre next weekend).

Will be interesting to see what kind of sides the regions will put out.

The Scarlets should smash Edinburgh, anything less than a bonus point victory will be a disappointment. I would have thought they will use the opportunity to rest some of the key players, but their depth should see them through anyway so that's fine. Scarlets by 15.

After their much improved display versus Glasgow, and after seeing Connacht heavily beaten by the Dragons last weekend, the Blues will want to win their game to get their season back on track. Will be a tough ask and could really go either way, the Blues are so unpredictable these days. Blues by 2.

Normally Treviso would be a banker but they seem on the up at the moment and with the Ospreys definitely aren't. They can't afford to rest anyone with things as they are and if they lose this Tandy is in very serious trouble. Trouble is there is every chance they might. Treviso by 3.

The Dragons face a dilemma. Ulster away is a massive ask for the team and probably one that Jackman has already written off; the question therefore is, do they rest key players - in particular Henson, who at 35 isn't going to be able to play every single game this season - at the risk of losing the momentum they gained against Connacht? On the other hand, the bigger risk may be that Henson, Dee, Hewitt or Amos get injured in a game where the Dragons have barely even a chance of a losing bonus point anyway. Ulster by 10.

Fixed.

Are Welsh regions in danger of doing worse than last weekend?
It is a possibility.

The Ospreys are falling apart.

Phew, we did better than last weekend. We won two out of four.
A good win by Blues away from home.
And a flattering win at home by Scarlets.

I predicted all four results correctly, if not the margins! Just as well as I also predicted that Leinster would comfortably see off the Cheetahs.

The most significant result may be Zebre wiping the floor with the Kings. Questions will be asked about what they really bring tk the competition

Cheetahs will be in the mix at the business end of the Pro 14. They are the breadbasket of SA rugby. Kings have never been a force in SA rugby and probably never will be.

Just interested how the teams are handing traveling to SA, and conditions hot and fast.
How are crown attendances for SA games and are the local team and people supporting their inclusion??