Magners League and Aviva Premiership Rugby - here's the fab four in each

Who's it going to be?

After 8 long months of the Magners , the teams round the corner, the finishing line is in site, Munster are already over the line, but the last three positions are still to be decided. Lads, what have you been doing? Talk about leaving it until the last minute! This is the league as it sits:

1. Munster 79

2. Leinster 65

3. Ulster 63

4. Cardiff Blues 60

5. Ospreys 59

6. Scarlets 57

Munster play Connacht at home and will still win even if they don’t put much of team out, they are going to be mighty sore after losing to Quins last weekend.

Mighty Leinster, Heienken Cup finalists, giants among men, (no bias here!) have Glasgow at home to clinch a home semi. The Scots are nestling comfortably at the bottom of the table, but don’t let that fool you, they definitely have the capability to beat us, so I want to see that smart blue slick Leinster machine that beat Toulouse, not the old banger that lost to Glasgow and Treviso in the first few rounds please.

Ulster need to beat the Dragons at Rodney Parade to clinch one of the remaining places in the semis, and the Blues losing there last week has done them a big favour. And lit up a massive warning sign ‘Be careful of those fiery Welshmen’. C’mon Ulster, make it a 1,2,3 for Ireland!

The Blues play the Scarlets – a 5 point win and they’re in. A 4 point win – things would really complicated as the Ospreys are sure to get 5 points against Aironi, that would leave them tied on points the Ospreys, then who would through? Anybody? Can both the Ospreys and the Blues please apply themselves to the fixture to get a clear winner and avoid a mathematical meltdown?

Aviva Premiership

The Exiles have already said slán abhaile to this years competiton, but there is still some jostling for places at the end, like a bunch of naughty schoolboys who’ve left studying until the last minute and are hoping to bluff it through now.

1. Leicester Tigers 73

2. Saracens 72

3. Gloucester 62

4. Northampton 61

5. Bath 57

Tigers are going to have to beat the Exiles to make sure they finish top, so maybe London Irish still have a say in how things turn out. However, on Exiles recent form, there won’t be too much f&t at Welford Road. Bad Boy Delon ‘Rocky’ Armitage is suspended, so we’ll leave their last words as slán abhaile after all. Tigers need to get a bonus point to secure top spot, or hope Saracens don’t overhaul their point difference.

Saracens play away to a resurgent Quins, who hopefully for Saracens will wrap their stars in cotton wool in what for them is a dead rubber. They won’t want to pick up any injuries before the Amlin Challenge Cup Final. So it should be Sarries with a 5 pointer.

Gloucester need to beat Sale to avoid the chance of getting pipped by Bath, and they shouldn’t struggle at all. Sale have been woeful this season.

The Saints need to pump Leeds, which is a pretty simple proposition. If Leeds could somehow scrape a win or get anything out of the game (apart from a ‘Welcome to Franklin Gardens’ mug) they could stay up. All I can see in my crystal ball though is pain for Leeds though, deep 5 point pain, so Saints should make up the last of the 4 places. On track for the double? Not while Leinster are around anyway.

Bath need to similarly get biblical on Newcastle’s ass and hope for a miracle at Franklin Gardens. I don’t think He’d think this warranted His attention, so Saints it is.

Shark Bite

After the Sharks were apparently outmuscled by the powder puff Stormers, I don’t know what to make of them anymore. Shark fin soup? The Brumbies are going to be thrown to the Sharks this weekend, so at least that should present an opportunity for the Durbanites to bounce back and hopefully pick up a bonus point. I just hope the Brumbies aren’t rough or rude as that seems to put the Sharks off.

The Magners League


Friday , May 6

Aironi Rugby vs Ospreys 19:05

Munster vs Connacht 19:05

Benetton Treviso vs Edinburgh 19:05

Scarlets vs Cardiff Blues 19:05

Newport-Gwent D'gons vs Ulster 19:05

Leinster vs Glasgow 19:05

Aviva Premiership


Saturday , May 7

Northampton vs Leeds Carnegie 15:00

Harlequins vs Saracens 15:00

Gloucester vs Sale 15:00

Bath vs Newcastle 15:00

Exeter vs Wasps 15:00

Leicester vs London Irish 15:00

Super Rugby


Friday , May 6

Hurricanes vs Blues 19:35

Melbourne Rebels vs Reds 19:40

Lions vs Cheetahs 18:10

Saturday , May 7

Chiefs vs Highlanders 08:35

Waratahs vs Western Force 10:30

Stormers vs Crusaders 17:05

Sharks vs Brumbies 19:10