**Life seemed much simpler when the 2019/20 Guinness PRO14 season kicked off back in September.** Little did we know what chaos the world would be thrown into by the coronavirus pandemic, forcing the rugby calendar to be put on hold for months on end as players went into lockdown. Thankfully the green shoots of recovery are beginning to sprout and following a five-month hiatus, the Guinness PRO14 will return with a series of blockbuster derbies from August 22. With the countdown now well and truly on, what better time to reflect on how this season unfolded before COVID-19 entered our vocabulary - when the rugby drama was the biggest concern. # **Setting the scene** Round One delivered the perfect opening salvo to the campaign, with Toyota Cheetahs downing previous year’s finalists Glasgow Warriors in Bloemfontein in the curtain-raiser. It was the first time the competition’s opener had taken place in South Africa and the hosts certainly delivered a thrilling show, scoring seven tries in a dominant 48-14 win. They were not the only team to hit the ground running either, with Ulster and Munster beginning their campaigns with 38-14 and 39-9 victories over Ospreys and Dragons, respectively.
