Super Saturday At Irish Independent Park

Get the pre-match stats as Munster prepare to welcome Newport-Gwent Dragons to Irish Independent Park for the final regular league game of the season. The conclusion to Munster’s race for a home semi-final will provide added significance to Saturday’s clash on Leeside.

Here is how the top 4 stand. Just two teams are involved in a direct head to head battle for home advantage in the play-offs, second placed Glasgow Warriors hosting fourth place Ulster. Glasgow, having led the table for six of the last eight rounds, know any slip-up could let Munster and Ospreys take the coveted top two places. Ulster’s destiny may not lie in their own hands, as even a win at fortress Scotstoun may not be enough to claim a home tie.

Ospreys emphatic win over Warriors last time out meant they reclaimed the top spot they had held for all but two of the first 13 rounds. Ospreys will have to overcome a Connacht team themselves battling for European qualification if they are to remain at the top of the table and hope that their fellow Welshmen, Newport Gwent Dragons, will pull off a victory over Munster in Cork.

Despite Anthony Foley’s men making it three wins from three in Cork this season – including two bonus point victories – Dragons could yet prove their toughest test on Leeside. The Welshmen will travel with little fear of an Irish province having already defeated Ulster, Connacht and Leinster (home and away) this season.

In terms of European form, the Dragons impressed in reaching the knock out stages of the Challenge Cup – defeating their Welsh counterparts Cardiff Blues in the quarter-final before losing away to Edinburgh in the semi.

The latter was a defeat they would avenge on their return to PRO12 action – defeating and denying Edinburgh a losing bonus point at Rodney Parade last weekend, a result which dealt the Scottish side’s hopes of Champions Cup qualification a serious blow.

Having lost just one of their last five matches in the PRO12, Dragons have the potential to quash the ambitions of Munster this weekend with Head Coach Anthony Foley preparing his side accordingly,

“Dragons have turned over a number of sides this season, made the semis of the Challenge Cup and they mix youth with experience very well. We had a very physical game against them in Rodney Parade and we’d expect the same again this weekend. We know first-hand how good these guys are. It takes a very good side to overturn Leinster twice in one season and we’ll have to be on our game at the weekend.

Click here for possible permutations from this weekend’s game.

Munster v Newport-Gwent Dragons, Guinness PRO12 Round 22, Saturday May 16^th at Irish Independent Park – KO 3pm.

Join us on the #HomeRun from just €;20 for Adults, while great value family packs are available from €;40. Purchase tickets online here, from the Munster Rugby Ticket Offices at Irish Independent Park and Thomond Park, or by calling 0818 719300.