History is on the side of Irish in PRO12

FOUR of the seven PRO12 Grand Finals have been all-Irish affairs, most recently Connacht-Leinster at Murrayfield last year. Nobody will be surprised if next weekend’s semifinals clear the way for a fifth all-Irish final, Munster against Leinster, at the Aviva Stadium on May 27.

Each is home to a Welsh contender – Leinster against Scarlets at the RDS on Friday night, Munster against Ospreys at Thomond Park the following day.

On the far side of the Irish Sea, the visitors will be swimming against the tide of history while clutching the shortest of straws.

In seven seasons of PRO12 play-offs, all 14 semi-finals have gone the way of the home team. Scarlets appear to be in better shape to break the mould than the Ospreys, even if it means tackling the more imposing challenge.

Munster, ambushed in Limerick by a spectacular second-half onslaught from the Scarlets in February, are relieved to see them diverted to Dublin where Leinster have swept all before them all season, including a 45-9 rout of Scarlets during the Six Nations.

The west Walians will be fully-loaded for Friday’s reappearance at the RDS but then the same can be said of their opponents. That the play-offs will feature a grand total of 15 British & Irish Lions says everything about the stellar cast of the PRO12’s top four.