The Six Nations may be back on, but the PRO14 will continue without the international European stalwarts with seven games taking place between Friday the 22nd of February and Sunday the 24th.
There’s plenty of value on offer in the PRO14 this weekend with the big name clubs missing a host of players due to Six Nations commitments.
Glasgow Warriors v Connacht
Friday 22 February
Scotstoun Stadium
21:35
To Win (80 Mins)
Glasgow 1/4
Draw 20/1
Connacht 29/11
We kick-off the Round 16 action with a tie between Scottish side Glasgow and Irish outfit Ulster. The hosts head into this one off the back of an epic 34-38 come from behind victory over Welsh side, the Cardiff Blues, while Connacht make the trip having seen off a spirited Cheetahs side 24-17 out in Galway.
The visitors head into this one currently sitting in third-place on the Conference A standings having won eight out of their 15 fixtures, while Glasgow lie in second on the same conference standings with 10 wins from their opening 15 fixtures.
Verdict: Glasgow 1/4
Last week’s dramatic win was just the tonic this Glasgow side needed. I can see them bagging the win this Friday evening.
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Ospreys v Munster
Friday 22 February
Liberty Stadium
21:35
To Win (80 Mins)
Ospreys 49/20
Draw 18/1
Munster 7/20
Friday’s next fixture sees the Ospreys take on Munster in a Welsh versus Irish clash. The two sides endured contrasting fortunes last time out with Munster picking up a bonus point from their 43-0 trouncing of the Kings and the Ospreys getting nothing out of their 0-8 defeat to Munster’s fellow Irish province, Ulster.
The Ospreys have a decent home record but are without a number of key players due to their stars being in camp with Wales. While Munster find themselves in the same position as their opponents, with their big names in the Irish squad to take on Italy, the Irish side arguably have a deeper playing pool than their opponents,
Verdict: Munster 7/10
I was really impressed with Munster last weekend. Their young guns stood up well to the challenge, while their older overseas internationals also performed admirably. I can see the away side bagging the points here.
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Leinster v Kings
Friday 22 February
RDS Arena
21:35
To Win (80 Mins)
Leinster 1/100
Draw 22/1
Kings 18/1
Friday’s final fixture will see the Kings take on a second-strength yet lethal Leinster side at the RDS.
The hosts may be missing a plethora of their Irish internationals but they’re still dominating all in sundry at present. Last weekend was no exception with the Leinstermen recording a solid 24-40 away victory over Italian outfit Zebre.
The Kings, who had performed so admirably in South Africa during the past month and a half, got a rude reminder of the hardships of playing in Europe as they were thumped 43-0 by Munster last weekend.
Verdict: Leinster 1/100
If Munster can put 40 over them then Leinster should be able to put 50 over the Kings. I’m expecting a massive win for the hosts.
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Treviso v Dragons
Saturday 23 February
Stadio Comunale di Monigo
16:00
To Win (80 Mins)
Treviso 1/4
Draw 18/1
Dragons 29/10
We kick off Saturday’s three-game fixture list with a tie between Italian high-flyers Treviso and struggling Welsh outfit, the Dragons. The host head into the game off the back of yet another impressive victory as they beat the Scarlets 25-19 in Round 14.
The Dragons had a much tougher time of it in Round 14 as they went down 34-17 to Edinburgh. This was their 11th loss of the season, and they now only sit above the last placed Kings, via points differential, on the Conference B standings.
Verdict: Treviso 1/4
The Italian side really have been pulling up trees this season and I can’t see them slipping up against a very mediocre Dragons side this weekend.
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Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues
Saturday 23 February
Murrayfield
21:35
To Win (80 Mins)
Edinburgh 4/10
Draw 18/1
Cardiff 21/10
We travel from Italy to Scotland for our next fixture which will see Conference B’s third-placed side take on Conference A’s fifth-placed side, the Cardiff Blues.
The two sides come into this one off the back of conflicting results with Edinburgh producing a solid performance during their 34-17 victory over the Dragons and Cardiff throwing away a commanding lead to go down 34-38 to Glasgow last weekend.
Verdict: Edinburgh 4/10
The Scottish outfit should have no problems registering a win over a Cardiff outfit that is missing a host of key players.
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Ulster v Zebre
Saturday 23 February
Kingspan Stadium
21:35
To Win (80 Mins)
Ulster 1/12
Draw 30/1
Zebre 6/1
Saturday’s final fixture and the penultimate fixture of the weekend pits Irish giants Ulster up against Italian minnows Zebre. The hosts currently reside in fourth spot on the Conference B standings, but a win here could see them move up into the play-off places, while Zebre sit in at the foot of the Conference A standings some 18 points off the sixth-placed Cheetahs.
The hosts head into the affair off the back of a hard fought but well deserved 0-8 victory over the Ospreys, while Zebre make the trip having gone down 24-40 to a weakened Leinster side.
Verdict: Ospreys 1/12
While there’s not terrific value on an Ospreys win here, they could add some value to those in search of a risk-free multiple leg.
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Scarlets v Cheetahs
Sunday 24 February
Parc Ye Scarlets
16:00
To Win (80 Mins)
Scarlets 1/8
Draw 25/1
Cheetahs 52/10
We close out the weekend with a clash between the Scarlets and Cheetahs. The hosts will be looking to claim the full-five point-haul so as to move into the play-off reckoning, while the Cheetahs will be looking to find some form in Europe, with the South African outfit really struggling for results in the northern hemisphere this term.
In terms of last weekend’s results, the Cheetahs head into this one off the back of a bonus point loss to Connacht with the side from Bloemfontein going down 24-17 in Galway, while the hosts will be looking to bounce back from their 25-19 loss to Treviso.
Verdict: Scarlets 1/8
The Cheetahs do head into this one off the back of a solid showing in Ireland but I can’t see them getting one over the Scarlets on their own patch. My money is on the hosts winning this one by 10 or more.
Written by Darry Worthington for Hollywoodbets
