At the same stage last season, on the same ground against the same opposition with a place in the Grand Final at stake, they came up four points short....writes Peter Jackson.

Try as they might, Glasgow Warriors just haven't got over the finishing line against Leinster in recent times - but Gregor Townsend's side could be saving it for when it really matters.

Leo Cullen is only too aware that the key to Leinster's pursuit of the RaboDirect PRO12 title is concentration.

After an 11-game winning streak to start the season and some breathtaking performances along the way, Ulster have collected many plaudits this term - but fly-half Paddy Jackson admits they have won nothing yet.

Rhys Priestland suffered the most serious injury of his rugby career in December when he snapped his Achilles' tendon and looked set to miss the remainder of the season.

Since the introduction of the play-offs four seasons ago, Leinster have yet to lose a semi-final and yet to win the Grand Final....writes Peter Jackson.

As the RaboDirect PRO12 regular season draws to a close, the Scarlets stand on the brink of erasing 12 months of heartache in one fell swoop - one of a number quests being sought on Fantastic Friday.

One undeniable fact can be drawn from the announcement of the touring squad - that the RaboDirect PRO12 is the most Lions-friendly competition of all...writes Peter Jackson.

Tommy Bowe admits his historic landmark as the first player to 50 Celtic League tries has been a long time coming - but he's warned Ulster's RaboDirect PRO12 rivals there are plenty more to come.

Two more home wins against Welsh opposition on successive weekends at Ravenhill will ensure Ulster finish the season in their first RaboDirect PRO12 Final....writes Peter Jackson.

Coming into this weekend the battle for the fourth and final RaboDirect PRO12 play-off place could not have been tighter but the Scarlets took a giant step towards a semi-final spot on Saturday.

The way it stands, the Ospreys have more than a rough idea of what it will take to retain the RaboDirect PRO12 title....writes Peter Jackson.

Brian O'Driscoll announced his return to RaboDirect PRO12 action with a bang while the race for fourth place and a the final semi-final spot could not be closer.

Dan Lydiate started Newport Gwent Dragons' clash with Scarlets wary of a landslide - he ended it ruing a missed chance to prove that his region are not the poor relation in Wales.

Even the New Zealander running the best team not to have won the European Cup got it wrong when it came to Munster last weekend....writes Peter Jackson.

Edinburgh scrum-half Sean Kennedy has the distinct honour of beating Ulster twice in back-to-back matches this season but a brief stint with rivals Glasgow Warriors, he's ready to put down his roots at Murrayfield.

Over the course of the last nine European Cup seasons, three out of every four quarter-finals have been won by the home team....writes Peter Jackson.

It was Judgement Day at the Millennium Stadium while Ulster finally ended their winless run in Dublin but Glasgow Warriors produced arguably the performance of the RaboDirect PRO12 round 19.

Last weekend marked an historic moment for Benetton Treviso as they completed the full set of RaboDirect PRO12 victims with a win over Cardiff Blues.

They launched the season on a sunny day in late August at Glasgow's Transport Museum by the banks of the Clyde....writes Peter Jackson.