Gregor Townsend: Pro12 can be twelve of the best

THE first game of any new season always brings a lot of excitement with it but there are so many positive aspects attached to the new Guinness Pro12 that anticipation levels are at a higher level than ever before. The Pro12 has always been up there with the English Premiership and the French Top 14 in terms of the quality of players involved but now it feels like our league has taken some other huge strides forward.