Pro 14 - General Thread

[cormac]

Dragons have parted company with head coach Bernard Jackman.

No surprise. He talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk.

That's harsh, he made a huge difference at Grenoble [although much of that probably due to their attitude to training and S&C at the time].
He should look at the D2 league to continue his career IMO.

He was sacked three-quarters through his first season as head coach at Grenoble and got the job at Dragons largely thanks to Gatland. Seem to recall Clontarf got relegated when he coached there too. He'd be better off with the media gigs. He talks a good game.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

I don't even think he talks a good game, it's all bullshit management speak. It seemed like coaching was getting in the way of his main gig in the media.

[blockhead]

I don't even think he talks a good game, it's all bullshit management speak. It seemed like coaching was getting in the way of his main gig in the media.

Agreed. A spoofer. He was co-comms for Ire v Usa game recently, the day before Dragons played Edinburgh. Should he not have been prepping, stadium ban or not? Dragons won by the way, says it all really.

[jimbobjoe]

He seemed to do a decent job as forwards coach with Grenoble. Maybe the head coach gig just isn't suited to him?

[neill_m]

Shaun Edwards being linked with the Dragons job for the rest of the season.

[neill_m]

Round 11 Pro 14 Fixtures:

Friday 21 December

7:35pm Cardiff Blues v Dragons Premier Sports 2 / S4C
7:35pm Ulster v Munster Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 1 (Full Deferred Coverage TG4 9:45pm)

Saturday 22 December

3pm Ospreys v Scarlets Eir Sport 2 / Premier Sports 1
5:15pm Edinburgh v Glasgow Eir Sport 2 / Premier Sports 1
7:45pm Leinster v Connacht Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 1 (Full Deferred Coverage TG4 10pm)

Sunday 23 December

2pm Zebre v Benetton Premier Sports 1

[neill_m]

Round 12

Fri 28 Dec

7:35pm Connacht v Ulster Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 1 / TG4

Sat 29 Dec

2pm Benetton v Zebre Free Sports / Eir Sport 1
3pm Glasgow v Edinburgh Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2
5:15pm Munster v Leinster Premier Sports 2 / Eir Sport 1 (Full Deferred Coverage TG4 7:30pm)
5:15pm Scarlets v Cardiff Blues Premier Sports 1/ Eir Sport 2

Sun 30 Dec

3pm Dragons v Ospreys Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2 / S4C

[johng]

I like the way you always post the weekend's fixtures in this thread Neil. Keep doing it. Not so easy to see them laid out so straightforwardly on the Pro14 site with all the stupid tiles and logos etc.

Plus I visit it less often than here

[Oldschool]

I like the way you always post the weekend's fixtures in this thread Neil. Keep doing it. Not so easy to see them laid out so straightforwardly on the Pro14 site with all the stupid tiles and logos etc.

Plus I visit it less often than here

+1
Just to that TG4 have deferred broadcasts of the Ulster v Munster match tonight and the Leinster v Connacht match tomorrow night.

[neill_m]

I like the way you always post the weekend's fixtures in this thread Neil. Keep doing it. Not so easy to see them laid out so straightforwardly on the Pro14 site with all the stupid tiles and logos etc.

Plus I visit it less often than here

+1
Just to that TG4 have deferred broadcasts of the Ulster v Munster match tonight and the Leinster v Connacht match tomorrow night.

Also have the big game next Saturday on deferred coverage.

[FLIP]

Edit: Wrong thread

[neill_m]

Benetton got a 10-8 win in Parma today. Not a classic.

[neill_m]

Round 12

Fri 28 Dec

7:35pm Connacht v Ulster Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 1 / TG4

Sat 29 Dec

2pm Benetton v Zebre Free Sports / Eir Sport 1
3pm Glasgow v Edinburgh Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2
5:15pm Munster v Leinster Premier Sports 2 / Eir Sport 1 (Full Deferred Coverage TG4 7:30pm)
5:15pm Scarlets v Cardiff Blues Premier Sports 1/ Eir Sport 2

Sun 30 Dec

3pm Dragons v Ospreys Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2 / S4C

This weekend’s Pro 14 games.

[COYBIB]

Just 3 points between 2nd and 5th now in our conference, Benneton sitting in a play-off spot, it's been a difficult campaign so far from the leagues perspective, nobody has kept pace with us in the conference, Scarlets have been very disappointing and it looks like their little purple patch may now be in decline, perhaps Edinburgh emerging as the the next team to have a crack at the league. Ulster progress has been encouraging, but they don't look like a threat so far.

The other conference also tight but all the way to the top, Glasgow have blown an early season lead from the pack and have been in sharp decline, again a big disappointment along side Scarlets, but at least they've been fronting up in Europe to some extent. Connacht coming back into contender status which is exactly what we all want to see, 4 provinces in the play-offs, shame we couldn't bury Munster, it would have held the two neck a neck at the half way point.

Most of the action in the other conference, but at least this season the 6 play-off sides aren't a foregone conclusion yet.

[neill_m]

1st derby win for the Dragons in 4 years. Beat Ospreys 23-22 today.

[neill_m]

Round 13:

Sat Jan 5

2pm Benetton v Glasgow Premier Sports 2
3pm Ospreys v Cardiff Blues Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2
5:15pm Leinster v Ulster Premier Sports 2 / Eir Sport 1 (Full deferred coverage on TG4 9:50pm)
5:15pm Scarlets v Dragons Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2
7:35pm Connacht v Munster Premier Sports 2 / Eir Sport 1 / TG4
7:35pm Edinburgh v Southern Kings Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2

Sun Jan 6

1pm Zebre v Cheetahs Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2

[Oldschool]

Round 13:

Sat Jan 5

2pm Benetton v Glasgow Premier Sports 2
3pm Ospreys v Cardiff Blues Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2
5:15pm Leinster v Ulster Premier Sports 2 / Eir Sport 1 (Full deferred coverage on TG4 9:50pm)
5:15pm Scarlets v Dragons Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2
7:35pm Connacht v Munster Premier Sports 2 / Eir Sport 1 / TG4
7:35pm Edinburgh v Southern Kings Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2

Sun Jan 6

1pm Zebre v Cheetahs Premier Sports 1 / Eir Sport 2

Great stuff once again and Happy NewYear.

[johng]

If the conference tables finished the way they are now then the Ospreys and the Scarlets would be in a playoff for the only Welsh HC spot.

[paddyor]

Looking like Edinburgh will be the main challengers to top the conference though 5 wins should all but seal it for us. Their 6N games should see them come out the other side in 2nd. Much tougher run in than any of the others but Scarlets have just as many hard games (incl vs us and Edinburgh) and the wheels seem to be coming off there.

Health warning: I expected the Scarlets to win both derbies and Edinburgh to lose at least one so shows what I know.

[paddyor]

If the conference tables finished the way they are now then the Ospreys and the Scarlets would be in a playoff for the only Welsh HC spot.

It'll be Ulster again. There inability to pick up BPs is killing them. They've Leinster, Ospreys, Glasgow and Edinburgh away and us at home again(which I suspect they'll win). They'll have Henderson back after the 6N but they'll be up against it to pull out a result in Scotland and that's probably where their season hinges. The Os result could go either way though I think Ulster will be stronger during the 6N.They need to pull out a result in either of them games put particularly the Edinburgh game. Even at that they stilol need to beat us in the last game of the season.

presumptious arrogance alert: I expect us to beat them for 5-0 next Saturday.