Rugby Easter Weekend - rough as a bear's arse Magners and Aviva final position predictions, and Henson in shock return for the Osprons!

Not hard enough to go to Rodney Parade? Picture from http://bit.ly/f5T2Zk

Magners Predictions

75 Munster Ospreys (A) Connacht (H) Should beat Connacht 5 points, Ospreys will probably win at home, final total 80 points

61 Leinster Aironi (A) Glasgow (H) Should win both, 5 against Aironi, 4 against Glasgow, final total 70

59 Ulster Connacht (H) Dragons (A) Should beat Connacht no probs 4 points, could easily lose to Dragons, final total 63

58 Ospreys Munster (H) Aironi (A) 2 from 2, 4 against Munster, 5 against Aironi, final total 67

56 Cardiff Blues Treviso (H) Dragons (A) Scarlets (A) Blues should beat Treviso at home 4 points and win one of the other two with 4 points Final total 64 points

52 Scarlets Glasgow (A) Blues (H) Beat Glasgow 4 points, lose to the Blues final total 56.

The long and the short of it that the Dragons could well be the kingmakers here as they play both Ulster and the Blues. And if Rodney Parade was too scary a place for Mike Phillips to go to, imagine the fear and trembling in Ulster and Cardiff?

Munster are definitely through, Leinster most likely second, then two out of Ulster, the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues will make it through.

Can I just throw another scenario in? Mourad Boudjellal is the owner of Toulon, and a man who likes to get what he wants. Except he’s not getting what he wants with Toulon at the moment, 7th in the T14, and out of the Heienken Cup. With Mike Phillips rumoured to joining Toulon, it is also rumoured, mainly or possibly entirely by me that as the Ospreys cupboard is pretty now bare anyway, the Ospreys offered him a one off, ultra discounted, buy one get one free deal, where for a few extra euro they threw in the rest of the team too. This gives Boudjellal the opportunity to win a cup this year, and a handy rotational output for players.

Naming the new team is proving tricky, although the Osprons and the Toulspreys are rumoured to be the front runners. And the absolute gem in this is that Boudjellal, in a completely karmic move, is planning to shift Gavin ‘Rocky’ Henson back to the Osprons! You read it here first! Imagine Munster, Leinster & co faces’ when Jonnnyyyy and Joe van Nierkerk run out in Osprons colours! His only concern is that his players (apart from Henson of course) don’t quite have the bar brawling skills to survive in Wales.

Aviva Predictions
69 Leicester Falcons away (5), Irish at home (4) =78

67 Saracens Gloucester home (4), Harlequins away (4) = 75

62 Gloucester Saracens away (1), Sale at home (5) = 68

57 Saints Irish away (1), Leeds home (5) = 63

53 Irish Saints at home (4), Tigers away (0) 57

48 Bath play Wasps away (4), Newcastle away (5) and home (5) = 62

That’s my prediction anyway, not very cheery for the Exiles, but can’t really see them winning at Welford Road, and Saints at home is going to be hard enough in the first place

Shark Bite

The Sharks are bracing themselves for a Hurricane blowing into Durban this weekend. Note hackneyed, obvious opening sentence. The Durban men should be as fresh as the daisy after a bye last weekend, while the Hurricanes, who were nicely softened up by the burly men of Bloemfontein, should be as fresh that 4 week old kipper you sewed into the back of the couch before you left your last digs. So knock yourself out boys, and help yourselves to 5 points.

The Magners League


Thursday , April 21

Cardiff Blues vs Benetton Treviso

Friday , April 22

Ulster vs Connacht 19:05

Edinburgh vs Newport-Gwent D'gons 19:30

Glasgow vs Scarlets 20:05

Saturday , April 23

Aironi Rugby vs Leinster 13:30

Ospreys vs Munster 18:30

Aviva Premiership

Friday , April 22

Sale vs Exeter 15:00

Newcastle vs Leicester 18:00

Saturday , April 23

London Irish vs Northampton 15:00

Wasps vs Bath 17:30

Sunday , April 24

Saracens vs Gloucester 13:30

Leeds Carnegie vs Harlequins 15:00

Super Rugby


Friday , April 22

Blues vs Melbourne Rebels 19:35

Saturday , April 23

Crusaders vs Highlanders 19:35

Reds vs Waratahs 19:40

Western Force vs Bulls 20:05

Sharks vs Hurricanes 17:05

Lions vs Chiefs 19:10