Ireland Rugby is on the Up and Up!

Ireland Rugby is on the Up and Up!

We’re back with the Guinness Pro 12 for Round 18 and it’s all looking a beautiful shade of green in Ireland. Having just recovered from the St Patrick’s Day celebrations we were rubbing our eyes when the Ireland team pulled off one of the rugby results of the year in stopping the England juggernaut. And I suspect the inspired Irish are set to dominate again this weekend.

ROUND 18 FRIDAY:

Newport Gwent Dragons vs Ulster
A resurgent Ulster are looking for a sixth win on the bounce and betting odds on them lifting the title have dropped to 9.50. Last time out, Ruan Pienaar plundered 17 points against Zebre with six kicks and a try. The Gwent Dragons are already preparing for next season, announcing the signing of former Wales international Gavin Henson and South African back Zane Kirchner.

Scarlets vs Edinburgh
The other Friday game pits a Scarlets team, still in contention for a play-off spot in fifth place, against Edinburgh, on a run of five consecutive defeats. To be fair to the Scots, four of those losses were against the top four, although I wouldn’t bet against them losing to fifth.

ROUND 18 SATURDAY:

Leinster vs Cardiff Blues
Leinster lead the Irish charge at the top of the league and are joint favourite at 2.00 to lift the trophy after four consecutive wins in the last month. Eighth-placed Cardiff had back-to-back wins before losing a hard-fought clash with Munster.

Zebre vs Munster
Also at 2.00 to win the Pro 12, Munster sit in third place just three points off the lead and face a trip to Italy where bottom club Zebre will fear another walloping after Ulster’s Pienaar put them to the sword. Munster will be without influential lock Jean Kleyn for the rest of the season with a neck injury.

Treviso vs Ospreys
The Irish giants are split by Ospreys in second place, and the Welsh hopes could go top if Leinster slip up against their countrymen Cardiff. They represent the best chance of the Pro 12 trophy being wrestled from the grip of the Irish at odds of 5.50. Treviso won’t stand in the way this weekend.

Glasgow vs Connacht
Sixth play seventh as the last of the Irish quartet try to keep pace with the others and are on a run of four consecutive wins. This will be a tough test in Glasgow though where the hosts hammered the Dragons 47-17 last time out.

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