URC Round 16

Friday
Zebre v Cardiff (19:10)
Leinster v Stormers (19:35)

Saturday
Ospreys v Dragons (13:00)
Benetton v Lions (13:00)
Connacht v Edinburgh (15:00)
Scarlets v Sharks (17:00)
Munster v Glasgow (17:15)
Ulster v Bulls (19:35)
[not sure if those are GMT or local kick off times]

Back into the thick of things. All fixtures are in the NH for this round.
Do Zebre get their first win of the season?
Do Leinster cough up their first loss of the season?
What would be the odds of both?
How many healthy bodies are available after the 6Ns?
We are entering the last 3 rounds of regular season games. Now is the time for clubs to find form and go on a run!

Looks like a lot of South African sides will go fully loaded this weekend going into next week's European playoffs.

Sharks need to win the next few if a Welsh side can't make the top 8 as European qualification will be the top 7 only in that scenario.

Losses for Lions, Edinburgh, Ospreys & Scarlets will end the hunt for top 8 for those sides.

Big game for Connacht if they want to hold off the chasing pack. Edinburgh must be going as full strength as possible as their season is over for top 8 if they dont.

Which countries will get their internationals back this weekend? I doubt Ireland will release any of the 23. Means Leinster will be fielding a 2nd string team this weekend.

I fancy the following:

Cardiff
Leinster
O's
Benetton
Connacht
Scarlets
Munster
Ulster

Almost all home wins except for Cardiff (who play the team that hasn't won all season).
I can see the logic in your choices.
The SA sides on the road don't always do well. I wonder if they look to get into gear with HCup fixtures upcoming.

From the Italy game:

I reckon Edinburgh won't get Schoeman and Ritchie back, otherwise maybe they will miss VDM (but he is a wing and should be able to play). On paper, Edinburgh have a strong enough side but no one knows what is going on over there at the minute. Connacht are the safe choice

Glasgow will likely miss Turner, Zander, Dempsey, M Fagerson, Tuipulotu and H Jones. If either of Dempsey or M Fagerson can play, it would be huge as the drop-off at 8 really hurts us. Not having R Gray is arguably as big a loss the way he has been playing. A fresh, fully powered Munster at home playing an 8-pointer (to borrow from football) for a home quarter final should have too much

Scotland would send some of their internationals straight back into action?

That does give them a big boost, but sadly for them, Connacht and Munster haven't been that affected by the Irish squad. Connacht "only" lose Aki and Hansen, and Munster Murray and PoM.

the-goon2 wrote:Scotland would send some of their internationals straight back into action?

That does give them a big boost, but sadly for them, Connacht and Munster haven't been that affected by the Irish squad. Connacht "only" lose Aki and Hansen, and Munster Murray and PoM.

Only if they haven’t been involved much in the 6n, which probably rules out, Schoeman, probably Nel (he’s old), Ritchie (played every min of the 6n for us) and Duhan.  Kinghorn should be available, as he didn’t play a huge amount over the tournament, but you never know, I’d imagine he’ll likely be rested as well

This will be the first game with Diamond in situ in whatever the hell a rugby consultant does.

Regardless it’ll be a home win

Very strong Stormers team, with all their Boks vs a Leinster team without any internationals involved in the 23.

Big Challenge.

Stormers:
15 Clayton Blommetjies,
14 Suleiman Hartzenberg,
13 Dan du Plessis,
12 Damian Willemse,
11 Seabelo Senatla,
10 Manie Libbok,
9 Paul de Wet,

8 Hacjivah Dayimani,
7 Ben-Jason Dixon,
6 Deon Fourie,
5 Marvin Orie,
4 Ruben van Heerden,
3 Frans Malherbe,
2 Joseph Dweba,
1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).

Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Jean-Luc du Plessis.

Leinter
15. Jordan Larmour (85)
14. Rob Russell (15)
13. Liam Turner (15)
12. Ciarán Frawley (61)
11. Dave Kearney (179)
10. Harry Byrne (45)
9. Luke McGrath (189)
1. Michael Milne (27)
2. John McKee (14)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (41)
4. Ross Molony (157)
5. Jason Jenkins (11)
6. Rhys Ruddock (219) CAPTAIN
7. Scott Penny (52)
8. Max Deegan (93)

16. Lee Barron (4)
17. Ed Byrne (93)
18. Vakhtang Abdaladze (25)
19. Brian Deeny (10)
20. Will Connors (32)
21. Nick McCarthy (58)
22. Charlie Tector (5)
23. Ben Brownlee (2)

thebandwagonsociety wrote:Almost all home wins except for Cardiff (who play the team that hasn't won all season).
I can see the logic in your choices.
The SA sides on the road don't always do well. I wonder if they look to get into gear with HCup fixtures upcoming.

Have heard the Sharks are coming to Llanelli fully loaded.

The South Wales Argus have just reported that Will Rowlands and Ollie Griffiths could be involved for us against Ospreys. Rio Dyer is being rested because of playing quite a lot for Team Wales and Joe Davies is stood down, due to having two concussions fairly close together. I think Dragons will be pretty fully loaded and Ospreys not so much. So perhaps the result isn’t as much of a sure thing as people may think.

Ah now it seems that Rowlands will not be available, according to the Argus. Ah well, we should still wallop the budgies

RiscaGame wrote:Ah now it seems that Rowlands will not be available, according to the Argus. Ah well, we should still wallop the budgies

I hope you do!

the-goon2 wrote:Very strong Stormers team, with all their Boks vs a Leinster team without any internationals involved in the 23.

Big Challenge.

Stormers:
15 Clayton Blommetjies,
14 Suleiman Hartzenberg,
13 Dan du Plessis,
12 Damian Willemse,
11 Seabelo Senatla,
10 Manie Libbok,
9 Paul de Wet,

8 Hacjivah Dayimani,
7 Ben-Jason Dixon,
6 Deon Fourie,
5 Marvin Orie,
4 Ruben van Heerden,
3 Frans Malherbe,
2 Joseph Dweba,
1 Steven Kitshoff (captain).

Replacements: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Neethling Fouche, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Willie Engelbrecht, 21 Marcel Theunissen, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Jean-Luc du Plessis.

Leinter
15. Jordan Larmour (85)
14. Rob Russell (15)
13. Liam Turner (15)
12. Ciarán Frawley (61)
11. Dave Kearney (179)
10. Harry Byrne (45)
9. Luke McGrath (189)
1. Michael Milne (27)
2. John McKee (14)
3. Michael Ala’alatoa (41)
4. Ross Molony (157)
5. Jason Jenkins (11)
6. Rhys Ruddock (219) CAPTAIN
7. Scott Penny (52)
8. Max Deegan (93)

16. Lee Barron (4)
17. Ed Byrne (93)
18. Vakhtang Abdaladze (25)
19. Brian Deeny (10)
20. Will Connors (32)
21. Nick McCarthy (58)
22. Charlie Tector (5)
23. Ben Brownlee (2)

Looking forward to this game. I've butterflies when I look at those two sides. Will the second row be focused enough for Leinster. Will the hooker position be good enough (this is definitely a challenge to the depth chart) and something about that backline (it almost feels like any cover is based on multiple positional switches which will dis-joint everything). This might be the kind of scare that Leinster need to get them focused for the final weeks of the season.

Is Leon Brown injured again? Hardly played minutes for Wales and now he’s not in our 23.

Good enough match, Stormers really wanted the win. Decent result for a Leinster B side.

mikey_dragon wrote:Is Leon Brown injured again? Hardly played minutes for Wales and now he’s not in our 23.

Kirwan said we rested him, after a heavy wales training workload. Crock of poop

Very good result for Glasgow and impressive performance in Limerick. Never easy to win there, particularly to outplay Munster as well.

Top 4 is in Glasgow own hands now, though Scarlets and Connacht are also in form and won't be easy games.

Franco Smith seems to have been a good appointment. He comes across as very switched on.

Scarlets are playing some good rugby, beating Sharks was a great result. I’d be concerned about their somewhat soft front 5, they’ll need a new TH and lock next season. They also need to hope that Shingler stays playing and Carwyn steps up. Lee Blackett coming on board seems to now be working.

mikey_dragon wrote:Franco Smith seems to have been a good appointment. He comes across as very switched on.

It just goes to show what a good coach can bring to the party. Glasgow are essentially the same squad as last season but are most definitely not the same team.

I mean what a performance from the Scarlets, it's amazing to see the things we were trying early season are now clicking. Great rush defence gave the Sharks very little time when they got the ball. We need to improve out front 5 if we are to compete with the top teams regularly.

Jonny Williams continues to impress too.

Great result for Scarlets. Very poor result for Dragons.

RiscaGame wrote:Great result for Scarlets. Very poor result for Dragons.

Yes I was surprised by the level of their performance.

Also where is Rob Evans these days? Has hardly featured for the Dragons. I really hoped he would turn it around with the move.

Has had a few injuries, but is also not being selected too much when fit either.

It looks like he is going to be released, at the end of the season.

RiscaGame wrote:Has had a few injuries, but is also not being selected too much when fit either.

It looks like he is going to be released, at the end of the season.

I'd heard that, I don't think he will pick up another contract sadly.

Edinburgh have to be gutted to be bottom 3 now. Given their playing budget they really should have made the top 8.

Just goes to show money isn't everything in the URC.

Welshmushroom wrote:Edinburgh have to be gutted to be bottom 3 now.  Given their playing budget they really should have made the top 8.  

Just goes to show money isn't everything in the URC.

Not sure Edinburgh have a massive budget compared to other clubs, but based on playing squad, the talent is there to be top 8. The wheels well and truly came off after a decent start to the year

Honestly don't know how to fix it at this point. New coach coming in next year (Solomons, Cockerill, Blair, ???), a new young 10 with pedigree (Francis, Heathcote, Hickey, Chamberlain, Healy?), a healthy academy with several talented prospects to pull through, sprinkling of non-SQ quality...this has all been the case too often in the last decade