We’re not happy here at HoR covering just the Irish provinces in the Pro12, so throughout the season Liam Sinclair will keep an eye on the rest of the league for us.
Regular rugby! Put the knitting needles back in storage, allow yourself one undignified leap in the air and breathe a huge sigh of relief before calming down and resuming the cool persona you’ve worked so hard to build. Yes it’s our favourite time of the year and what better way to get warmed up then some good ol’ fashioned previews.
It’s the most difficult preview of the year with only pre-season to judge form. Planning and fitness are the goals of these matches so I’m pretty much going to stick with my gut for now.*
Two Wales v Italy matches are what fall within my brief this week. Plenty to get excited about with debutants Zebre hitting the road and hoping to hit it running and the champions taking on a Treviso side making all the right noises about ambition, improvement and challenging.
* = guess
Treviso v Ospreys
Treviso have utilised the ‘’Roy Keane recruitment theory’’ getting as many bodies in as possible and letting quality shine through over the course of the season. The hope will be that competition will have players hungry to be at their best and giving it all. Ospreys on the other hand have been low key when bringing players in adding only old boy Jonathan Spratt and James Goode to a squad shorn of many quality players but still maintaining a strong core. This familiarity is an advantage especially on day 1 against a Treviso side needing time to gel. A match, albeit at home, against the champions is a tough start. It has to be an Ospreys victory. After a slow start the familiarity and quality will shine through.
N.G.D v Zebre
Zebre need to throw down a gauntlet at Rodney Parade because if they are to finish anywhere but last The Dragons are the team they most likely need to reel in. If the new boys know this they will need to start fast, they will need to start hard and, most importantly, they will need to maintain a high level of intensity for the full 80 minutes. I just can’t see the third part happening, lack of stamina is a hallmark of the ‘weaker’ sides. The new kid always gets beat up and Zebre will pick up away form where Aironi left off. As long as they stay disciplined it’s a victory for the dragons.
The rest
Ulster v Warriors – Ulster are in boisterous spirits and have recruited well. A solid win for the northerners to get the ball rolling for this season of high expectations.
Connacht v Cardiff – I’m looking forward to this. Two teams full of grit, spit and blood fighting it out in a stadium where the weather is famed for offering similar. Cardiff have a point to prove and I feel they will edge it.
Scarlets v Leinster – Anyone else have a feeling about Scarlets this year? Balls out. A famous scalp for Scarlets against notorious slow starters Leinster.
Edinburgh v Munster – Edinburgh are a good side and morale is high. Victory for the Scots.
Delighted to be done with my thinking for the week. Now for the waiting. It’s going to be a great season. Happy rugby everybody.
Liam Sinclair (@liam_bs) – Guesses, generalisations and clichés.
