Christmas is almost here – but there will be no spirit of goodwill on show in the Guinness PRO14 in Round 8 as the Championship returns with six tantalising derby clashes. With Europe now in the rearview mirror until the new year, teams can focus on renewing their bid for a place in the Guinness PRO14 Final Series over the next three rounds. And the jostling begins this weekend with a series of huge derby match-ups, including top-of-the-table encounters between Leinster and Ulster and Connacht and Munster. It’s all set to be a pivotal couple of days as the runners and riders look to improve their position but before the actions unfolds, here are the five big questions ahead of Round 8. Can anyone topple the defending champions? So far, so good for the reigning Guinness PRO14 champions. Leinster are yet to taste defeat this season and sit at the summit of Conference A and their Champions Cup pool. Leo Cullen’s side were expected to be tested by Premiership leaders Northampton Saints in back-to-back encounters, but the men in blue piled on 93 points in two comprehensive wins. Now it’s the turn of Dan McFarland’s Ulster to try and take their provincial rivals down a peg on Friday night at the RDS Arena, fresh off their own consecutive wins over Harlequins.
