Friday, September 29

Cheetahs v Ospreys 4:00 PM Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein
Glasgow Warriors v Benetton Treviso 7:35 PM Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Leinster v Edinburgh 7:35 PM RDS Arena, Dublin
Scarlets v Connacht 7:35 PM Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli

Saturday, September 30

Munster v Cardiff Blues 1:30 PM Thomond Park, Limerick
Zebre v Ulster 2:35 PM Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma
Dragons v Southern Kings 7:35 PM Rodney Parade, Newport

Some interesting clashes this coming weekend.
Friday 29
I fear for Ospreys against Cheetahs.
Interesting to see how Glasgow goes against the 'rejuvenated' Treviso.
Leinster shouldn't have any problems against Burgh.
Scarlets v Connaught - I'm not convinced that Scarlets are in the same place as they were at the end of last season. I think we are missing Liam and Cubby more than a little. Liam with the flair and Cubby with the continuity and his interaction with the backs. However, we should be able to win this one at home.
Saturday 30
Munster v Blues - On their day Blues can spring surprises, they'll need to spring if they want to beat Munster at home.
Zebra v Ulster - A walk in the park (including a bonus point win) for a good Ulster team.
Dragons v Southern Kings - Could be the defining match for where Dragons are headed. Interesting to see which Dragons team run out on the day.

I got 4/4 for the Welsh sides last week. This week's matches seem easier to call, which means I'll probably get at least one horribly wrong!

Cheetahs as they have been should run rings around the Ospreys as they are. After they pasted Leinster last week the Cheetahs will be full of confidence, at home, and three weeks since their last long-haul flight aganist an Ospreys side woefully low on morale. There's only one way this is going to go.
Cheetahs by 15.

Connacht have looked poor this season, losing to both the Dragons and Blues. They shouldn't pose any problems to the Scarlets.
Scarlets by 10.

Blues have the toughest proposition of the four - an as-yet unbeaten Munster away - and whilst the Blues have shown some glimpses of quality this year they've been awfully inconsistent. They were one of the only sides to beat Munster in Munster last year, but the way things are going I just can't see them repeating that this year.
Munster by 10.

Based on the way the Southern Kings - who have just yielded a bonus point win at home to Zebre - have played this season, you'd have to say that anything other than a romping victory should be a disappointment for the Dragons. However they have a tendancy to make work of their victories against weak teams, so I suspect whilst the Dragons will still win, they won't do so as convincingly as they should.
Dragons by 5.

Cheetahs by 18 with BP
Scarlets by 16 with BP
Munster by 12 with BP
Dragons - Draw

Figaro seems to have summed it up. Hard to call a draw! methinks. It's still rugby and anything upset wise can happen

So far after Friday's games, it is one to Wales and one to our opponents.
Can either Dragons or Blues improve Wales standing tomorrow?
Dragons probably have the best chance, as regards the Blues, who knows - they're a bit like the French, you never know which side is going to pitch up.

Connacht were much tougher opponents against the Scarlets than were predicted, and likewise Edinburgh against Leinster (who have fielded their strongest side so far this season, with Sexton, Furlong, Ringrose etc.) Perhaps the league is getting more competitive after all?

Ringrose didn't play.

Munster age going to be fired up more than normal today after last weeks hammering by Glasgow.

Ringrose didn't play.

Munster are going to be fired up more than normal today after last weeks hammering by Glasgow.

My bad, but still this was Leinster's strongest line-up this season.

Yes difficult to call but Oz & Saffers drew this afternoon.

And Paddy Power were offering 70/1 yes 70/1 against a draw
in the Dragons match so I just had to have a small bet.They have
amended the price and it's only 33/1 now.Not the weight of my money
doing that I'm sure!!!!!!!!

Two all. Two wins to Wales regions and two losses.
It will be two all next weekend except if there is a draw. Derbies
Ospreys v Scarlets and Blues v Dragons. Where is the smart money?

Scarlets to win the first one, albeit only by a score, while the latter will be a draw.

Scarlets make fewer mistakes in the first one and ermmm who gives a fu*k in the second?

What odds can you get on Dragons beating Blues?
I think it's worth a tenner.