Weekend Rugby -Can Leinster make it 20 in a row?

Munster supporters look forward to the visit of Leinster

The big match of this weekend will be Leinster heading off to play one of the minor teams in the South/West – is it Connacht or Munster? I’m not sure, I’ll have to check it up, but I believe the match is a sell out, you know how these small regions get excited when one of the big teams comes to visit. As you would imagine, Leinster has an impressive record against this tiddler, having won the umpteen last matches home and away. Oh aren’t I funny! Yes, all the bonhomie between the provinces around Ireland’s win over England has been buried, along with England’s Grand slam dreams, just as surely as the daggers are being sharpened to bury into each others’ backs. Munster now seem to view Leinster with the mythical reverence that Ireland reserve for the Al Blacks, they think might get close, but beat them? We’re not worthy!


Leinster welcome back more of the troops from the 6 Nations campaign, as Gordon D’Arcy, Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien, Brian O’Driscoll and Mike Ross get back in the frame for selection.

Munster look to have a pretty full squad to select from with only Tomas O’Leary and Alan Quinlan missing amongst likely starters.

Both teams will be using the match as a warm up for European challenges next week, but obviously there’s more to it than that, there’s Magners points up for grabs, and there’s the potential indignity of being beaten by your biggest domestic rival. I’ve been waiting for Leinster to slip up away from home against Munster, but the slip hasn’t been coming. There’s not much logic to be applied to this fixture, with all the passion of a local derby, but going back to Heineken Cup form, Leinster are stronger and should take this. ‘mon Leinster! And big shout for Shane Horgan who wins his 200th cap this weekend.

Connacht host Edinburgh, and after their giant killing form last week against Ospreys, you’d suspect the Scots will shade this. That’s what I thought until I saw Edinburgh are still resting some of their internationals. Resting them for what? I’m going with Connacht now. Ulster (or the Greatest One Man Show on Earth©, as they will heretofore be referred to) welcome the Scarlets, who came fairly close to overturning Munster last week. Never fear, Ruan is here, scaling large buildings with a single leap, catching bullets in his teeth, and if the rest of the players display a tenth of his skill (each, not all put together), Ulster will win.

Exiles

London Irish will have the fly spray out as Wasps travel to the Madjeski Stadium. After last week’s feeble effort against the Saints, a few good swats should account for Wasps this time. Wasps aren’t happy campers at the moment, neither are Wales, don’t want to start any rumours but is there a connection here, Shaun Edwards? Irish will be buoyed by last week’s good win against Exeter, they haven’t lost this year at home, and won’t lose this weekend either, however frightened they may by the return of pensioner Josh Lewsey to the Wasps ranks. I had high hopes for Wasps this season, they have the talent, but can’t seem to get their act together.

Shark Bite

So after being comprehensively dismantled by the Crusaders last week in the first half, and travelling all the way round the world in the last few weeks, the Sharks now get to take on the Stormers, currently top of the heap. Look we all know the reasons for the Sharks losing, Kiwi ref masquerading as an Aussie – yeah right, of course he was neutral, awful pitch – I mean, what do the Northern Hemisphere really know about rugby?, and no Lambie. They’ve actually got a few real issues to sort out – no depth at fly half, not enough inspiration in the centres, front row woes. All of this is possible to overcome, fly half aside. I don’t know what to make of the Stormers, good team , good players, but you suspect they lack that cutting edge to go all the way, and this is going to be another big test of their resolve, no better way for the Sharks to cast off their losing blues than by stonking a local rival. I’ll be bullish and go with the Sharks, as the Stormers catch the backlash from last weeks loss.

Aviva Premiership


Saturday , April 2

Northampton vs Sale 14:30

Gloucester vs Newcastle 15:00

Harlequins vs Leicester 17:30

Sunday , April 3

Saracens vs Bath 14:15

Leeds Carnegie vs Exeter 15:00

London Irish vs Wasps 15:00

Super Rugby


Friday , April 1

Highlanders vs Brumbies 19:35

Waratahs vs Chiefs 19:40

Saturday , April 2

Blues vs Cheetahs 17:30

Hurricanes vs Bulls 19:35

Western Force vs Melbourne Rebels 19:05

Lions vs Reds 15:00

Sharks vs Stormers 17:05

The Magners League


Friday , April 1

Ulster vs Scarlets 19:05

Connacht vs Edinburgh 19:45

Saturday , April 2

Aironi Rugby vs Glasgow 14:30

Ospreys vs Cardiff Blues 18:30

Munster vs Leinster 19:30

Sunday , April 3

Newport-Gwent D'gons vs Benetton Treviso 14:45