Shane Horgan - Picture from http://bit.ly/hxkPPU
Magners League
Munster get to travel to Cardiff on Friday to take on the Blues on their ladies day. Don’t forget to pack the hair gel lads! Munster have most of their internationals back, and I guess the news here is that Conor Murray gets to start at 9, with Stringer on the bench, which is a big call for an inexperienced player. Stringer could come in to spare their blushes if need be. They’re obviously taking this match seriously, and with players like POC, Earls in the side, they should have too much for the Blues, who have a huge injury list – Blair, Warburton, James, Jenkins. Ulster go to Glasgow, and after squeaking past the Dragons last week, they may feel their luck is in. They’re taking a strong team with them, and although Edinburgh at home are always a tricky proposition the don’t have a strong team, the force seems to be with Ulster, and they should pip this one.
Connacht visit Aironi, who are still waiting for their first win in 17 games, are they going to have wait another game? Yes they will, Connacht should be way too strong for them.
Leinster wrap things up for the Irish provinces on Sunday as they take on the Dragons at Rodney Parade. Leinster are fielding a strong team for the match, which they need to do, the Dragons are a good team. Sexton and Cullen go stright back in and their strength in depth is reflected with three internationals on the bench. Shane Horgan even gets to play again, good to see the big man back in action! The Dragons were either unlucky not to win last week, or lucky to get so close, depending on whether you’re a Dragons or Ulster supporter. I think Leinster are going to win anyway.
Leinster:15 Isa Nacewa, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Eoin O'Malley, 12 Fergus McFadden, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Rhys Ruddock, 7 Dominic Ryan, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Leo Cullen (c), 3 Stan Wright, 2 Richardt Strauss, 1 Heinke van der Merwe
Replacements:16 Aaron Dundon, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Simon Shawe, 19 Nathan Hines, 20 Jamie Heaslip, 21 Eoin Reddan, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Dave Kearney.
Exiles
The “not not’s” get to take on the most Irish team in the Premiership (including themselves) this weekend when they entertain the Exeter Chiefs. It’s the St Patrick’s party day for the Exiles, and the fixture list has duly delivered a sacrificial lamb for the festivities in the form of Exeter. Well at the start of the season that would have been the conventional wisdom, but Exeter lie in a respectable 9th position – and could have more points than Irish if they get a good win this weekend, on top of which they’ve won three out of the last 4 games, so it’s within the bounds of possibility. Irish have won two out of the last four, and won’t want a repeat of their last outing, when they embarrassingly lost to Leeds. But at home, with a big crowd in for the St Pat’s party, they should have too much for Exeter.
Shark Bite
Sonny Bill Williams
This is your big chance to see some Super rugby at Twickenham, and for once there won’t be any chariots swinging by. No this is Super super rugby, for the match between the Crusaders and the Sharks, rescheduled and re-homed due to earthquake damage in Christchurch, and in aid of relief efforts. 30000 tickets have been sold, and a crowd of 55 000 is expected. It’s a match which will no doubt have all the French clubs salivating, as these are two very strong southern Hemisphere sides.
I think I count 13 All Blacks, and 14 Sprinboks in each match day 22 - it's like an international! The Sharks have been hit by the loss of Patrick Lambie, their wunderkind fly half, which is a pretty serious dent in their ambitions for this match. Players to watch for the Sharks are Willem Alberts, the latest in a long line of supermen south African loose forwards, assembled by robots at a secret location in the Republic. The veteran Springbok Stefan Terblanche is another player to watch, he’s in the form of his life, and fullfils a role for the Sharks not unlike Paul Warwick at Munster.
Where do I start with the Crusaders? There’s Dan Carter, still the best 10 in the world, Kieran Read, one of the best 8’s in the business, and Sonny Bill Williams, with his Inspector Gadget skills. Some players not too well known on these shores are Israel Dagg, an All Black and awesome full back, and Robbie Fruean, the form center in New Zealand, no mean feat when you have players like Nonu and Smith in the frame. Zac Guildford is a very talented winger, probably 4th or 5th in the All Black pecking order.On balance, that Crusader side is pretty frightening looking, think they will beat the Lambie-less Sharks, but hopefully more than anything we’ll get a match which will show what the fuss about Super Rugby is all about.
Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Andy Ellis, 8 Kieran Read (c), 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett .
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Chris Jack, 19 Jonathan Poff, 20 Kahn Fotuali'i, 21 Matt Berquist, 22 Adam Whitelock.
The Sharks:15 Louis Ludik, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 John Smit (C).
Replacements: 16 Eugene van Staden, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Gerhard Mostert, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Conrad Hoffmann, 21 Adrian Jacobs, 22 JP Pietersen.
The Magners League
Friday , March 25
Cardiff Blues vs Munster 19:05
Glasgow vs Ulster 20:05
Saturday , March 26
Aironi Rugby vs Connacht 17:30
Edinburgh vs Ospreys 18:30
Sunday , March 27
Newport-Gwent D'gons vs Leinster 14:30
Scarlets vs Benetton Treviso 17:35
Aviva Premiership
Friday , March 25
Sale vs Leeds Carnegie 19:45
Saturday , March 26
Harlequins vs Gloucester 14:15
London Irish vs Exeter 15:00
Bath vs Leicester 16:30
Sunday , March 27
Northampton vs Wasps 15:00
Saracens vs Newcastle 15:00
Super Rugby
Friday , March 25
Melbourne Rebels vs Hurricanes
Saturday , March 26
Reds vs Cheetahs 14:40
Chiefs vs Blues 19:35
Brumbies vs Waratahs 19:40
Stormers vs Western Force 15:00
Bulls vs Lions 17:05
Sunday , March 27
Crusaders vs Sharks 16:00
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