PRO14 conference confirmed... and rejigged

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Conferences for the 2019/20 & 2020/21 PRO14 seasons have been drawn based upon finishing positions resulting in six teams swapping Conferences.

The conference tables were completed after the final pool round of the 2018/19 PRO14 season in April, with the teams being ordered from one to 14 based upon their final points totals, before being ranked within their respective unions.

According to the competition organisers, the criteria for placing teams in each of the two conferences were based on ensuring a competitive tournament with an equal spread of teams from each union in both conferences.

Cheetahs have been drawn in Conference A with 2018/2019 PRO14 Champions, Leinster, and runners-up, the Glasgow Warriors, and the Southern Kings in Conference B for the next two seasons of the northern hemisphere showpiece.

The Cheetahs won eight of their 21 pool matches last season and earned 46 log points to finish far above Zebre Rugby Club on points in conference A, while the Southern Kings had an unlucky season in which they won two matches, drew one and suffered seven agonising defeats by seven points or less, to finish as the last-placed team in Conference B.

The kick-off date for the 2019/2020 PRO14 season will be announced in due course.