Rabo Direct Pro 12 2013/14: Top Pointscorers

Much like the Premiership, the Pro12 regular season’s pointscoring charts are dominated by opportunity as much as talent, with international duties there as strong as they are for any leagues, given the surprisingly contrasting fortunes of Celtic national and club sides, like Wales and Ireland for instance.

Dan Biggar of the Ospreys is favourite to land the most points on the board, having romped this market when his side stole the final from Leinster, winning it for the second straight yeaer but he was only fourth best last season and his starring role in Wales’s 6 Nations triumph means he’s likely to be called upon once again, so it’s hard to see him betting the 14 appearances he made last season.

The Ulster pair of Paddy Jackson – whose goalkicking was a source of concern last year – and Ruan Pieenar will take points away from eachother throughought the season, while they may not hit the heights of last year over the course of the season.

Ian Madigan was top last year but is surely going to be the backup Ireland number 10, which makes the double figures banded about about Jimmy Gopperth interesting given his fine start last night against the Scarlets, but Munste’s Ian Keatley may be the answer. Second to Ronan O’Gara lst year, Keatley made 7 of his 15 appearances from the bench but should have at least as many starts this time around as the undisputed main man at Thomond Park this weekend and won’t be on Ireland duty, meaning that he can get something close to 20 appearances this year – which should be enough to give him a big push at top spot – the last 4 winners have made 18, 19, 21, and 16 appearances.

As for top tryscorer, where else to look but Tim Visser, having led the tryscoring charts for the last 4 years? The flying Dutchman cum-Scotsman is likely to be called up for International duty but is the fastest winger in the Pro 12 and barring injury, the man to stop once again.

DTH van der Merwe (left) is fast beginning to accomplish something like the same reputation, the Candian speedester having come third in 2010/11 and 2012/13 with 9 and 10 tries, the season inbetween having been blighted by injury, and with Glasgow’s game ever expanding, he is well capable of taking another place at least. So too, is Andrew Trimble, who may well be worth supporting at 20/1 with Ladbrokes, although Ulster may not be as good this season as they were last.

Advice

1 pt Ian Keatley top pointscorer (7/2 Coral)

1 pt Tim Visser top tryscorer (11/2 Coral)

1 pt each/way DTH van der Merwe top tryscorer (14/1 general)