Americas Rugby News Rugby news from across the Americas!
USA Eagles flyhalf AJ MacGinty saw Connacht to Historic Semi Final win in the Pro 12 on Saturday afternoon. Playing at home in Galway Connacht booked their place in the Guinness Pro 12 final by defeating reigning champions the Glasgow Warriors 16-11.
MacGinty kicked three penalties and converted his team’s only try to score a personal haul of eleven points. The Glaswegians managed one try of their own with Fijian Leone Nakarawa scoring in the second half.
The triumphs sets up an all-Irish Pro 12 Final. It is to be played next weekend on Saturday May 28 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Connacht will be looking to create history by facing their powerful eastern neighbors, Leinster.
With four previous titles Leinster is the joint most successful team in the history of the Guinness Pro 12. The eastern Irish province last won the title in 2014 while the Ospreys also have four titles, their most recent having come in 2012.
Connacht has never won the title nor has the western Irish province ever appeared in a final. A win over Leinster would end this and would also mean all four Irish provinces would have won the league at least once.
Irish dominance has seen the emerald isle winning eight titles. By way of comparison Italian, Scottish and Welsh sides have six titles between them. Italy is, in fact, yet to win the competition while Glasgow’s 2015 win for the first from a Scottish side. The Scarlets’ 2004 title was the only time a Welsh region other than the Ospreys came out on top.
