Friday also sees a further three Magners League games: a buoyant Connacht welcome Scarlets to the Sportsground, the scene of their historic victory over Munster last time out. Edinburgh will be hoping to stop Ulster claiming a season double over them when the two teams play at Murrayfiled; whilst Scottish neighbours Glasgow Warriors will be looking to stop Newport Gwent Dragons run of away victories over as Warriors continue to push to be the top placed Scottish side.
The round wraps up on Saturday when Leinster welcome Cardiff Blues to the RDS. Leinster will be hoping to continue the form that has seen them lose only once at the ground since October 2007.
Friday 9 January
CONNACHT v SCARLETS
At Sportsground, 6.30pm.
Referee: James Jones (WRU,24th League game). Assistant Referees: L Colgan (IRFU) S Flannery (IRFU).
|
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
C |
S |
Connacht scorers |
Scarlets scorers |
|
Sat 18 Feb 06 |
Sportsground |
33 |
19 |
Colm Rigney(T) Paul Warwick(T/2C/4P) David Slemen(T/C) |
Darren Daniel(T) Regan King(T) Mike Hercus(2P) Gareth Bowen(P) |
|
Fri 15 Sep 06 |
Sportsground |
15 |
37 |
Matt Mostyn(T) Mark McHugh(T/C/P) |
Darren Daniel(T) Simon Easterby(T) Regan King(2T) Stephen Jones(4C/3P) |
|
Fri 11 May 07 |
Stradey Park |
10 |
19 |
Mark McHugh(C/P) John Muldoon(T) |
Gavin Evans(T) Ceiron Thomas(2T/2C) |
|
Fri 28 Sep 07 |
Stradey Park |
11 |
34 |
Tim Donnelly(2P) John Fogarty(T) |
Jonathan Davies(T) Regan King(T) Rhys Priestland(4C/2P) Morgan Stoddart(T) Vernon Cooper(T) |
|
Fri 4 Jan 08 |
Sportsground |
20 |
18 |
Andy Dunne(5P) Conor O'Loughlin(T) |
Rhys Priestland(6P) |
|
Sat 13 Sep 08 |
Stradey Park |
3 |
45 |
Ian Keatley(P) |
Jonathan Davies(T) Nathan Brew(T) Mark Jones(T) Deacon Manu(2T) Morgan Stoddart(2T) Ceiron Thomas(C) Stephen Jones(4C) |
Connacht's three game winning run in all competitions was ended at Leinster on Friday, however the Irishmen have won three of their last four games in Galway in the Magners League. Connacht have lost all their three games against Welsh opponents this season.
Scarlets have won two of their last three matches in the Magners League, but away from home in all competitions the Welshmen have slipped to four successive defeats. Scarlets only win on their last five visits to Ireland was 16-9 at Ulster on 5 September.
Connacht have won just one of their last five encounters with Scarlets: 20-18 at Galway in this equivalent fixture last season.
EDINBURGH v ULSTER
At Murrayfield, 7.30pm. Live on Setanta Sports.
Referee: Gwyn Morris (WRU, 2nd League game). Assistant Referees: Iain Heard (SRU), David Anderson (SRU).
TMO: Ian Ramage (SRU).
|
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
E |
U |
Edinburgh scorers |
Ulster scorers |
|
Fri 17 Feb 06 |
Murrayfield |
23 |
31 |
Penalty Try(T) Duncan Hodge(T/2C/3P) |
Andrew Maxwell(2T) Isaac Boss(T) David Humphreys(2C/4P) |
|
Fri 15 Sep 06 |
Murrayfield |
20 |
15 |
Ben Cairns(T) Phil Godman(D) Chris Paterson(4P) |
David Humphreys(5P) |
|
Fri 11 May 07 |
Ravenhill |
10 |
16 |
Duncan Hodge(C/P) Scott Murray(T) |
Paddy Wallace(C/3P) Andrew Maxwell(T) |
|
Fri 28 Sep 07 |
Murrayfield |
24 |
10 |
Phil Godman(2C) John Houston(T) Penalty Try(T) Andrew Turnbull(T) Ali Warnock(C/P) |
Mark Bartholomeusz(T) Niall O'Connor(C/P) |
|
Fri 30 Nov 07 |
Ravenhill |
20 |
14 |
Ben Cairns(T) Matt Dey(T) Phil Godman(2C/2P) |
Tommy Bowe(T) Paddy Wallace(3P) |
|
Fri 3 Oct 08 |
Ravenhill |
9 |
13 |
David Blair(2P) Phil Godman(P) |
David Pollock(T) Clinton Schifcofske(C/2P) |
Edinburgh's 20-25 defeat at Glasgow on Friday ended a three game winning run in the Magners League. The Scotsmen have won their last three games at Murrayfield in the Magners League since Munster won there 25-20 on 5 September.
Ulster have won three of their last four games in the Magners League. Their 37-11 victory at top of the table Munster on Saturday means that Ulster will be trying to win successive away games in the same season in the competition for the first time since April 2006. Ulster's most recent win in Scotland was 33-9 at Border Reivers on 13 April 2007.
Ulster won 13-9 when the two teams met at Ravenhill in October but the Ulstermen have not achieved a season double over Edinburgh since 2005/06.
GLASGOW WARRIORS v NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS
At Firhill Arena, 7.30pm.
Referee: John Lacey (IRFU, 2nd League game). Assistant Referees: John Steele (SRU), Graham Allen (SRU).
|
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
G |
N |
Glasgow Warriors scorers |
Newport Gwent Dragons scorers |
|
Fri 28 Apr 06 |
Rodney Parade |
18 |
32 |
Dan Parks(T/C/2P) Colin Shaw(T) |
Jason Forster(2T) Adam Black(T) Nathan Brew(T) Craig Warlow(3C/2P) |
|
Fri 1 Sep 06 |
Hughenden |
23 |
24 |
Sam Pinder(T) Graeme Morrison(T) Dan Parks(2C/2P) Colin Gregor(P) |
Ceri Sweeney(T/C/3P) Aled Brew(T) Mike Hercus(D) |
|
Fri 2 Mar 07 |
Rodney Parade |
3 |
13 |
Dan Parks(P) |
Ceri Sweeney(C/2P) Ashley Smith(T) |
|
Fri 4 Jan 08 |
Firhill Arena |
16 |
18 |
Dan Parks(C/3P) Sam Pinder(T) |
Joe Bearman(T) Peter Sidoli(T) Ceri Sweeney(C/2P) |
|
Sun 30 Mar 08 |
Rodney Parade |
20 |
14 |
Thom Evans(2T) Dan Parks(2C/2P) |
Aled Thomas(3P) Gareth Wyatt(T) |
|
Fri 5 Sep 08 |
Rodney Parade |
12 |
6 |
Dan Parks(4P) |
James Arlidge(P) Shaun Connor(P) |
Glasgow Warriors have won three of their last four games in the Magners League, whilst the only opposing team to win at Firhill Arena in the competition in the last twelve months was Ospreys: 21-18 on 12 September.
Newport Gwent Dragons have won just one of their last nine games in all competitions: 30-24 at home to Ospreys on 19 December, whilst Dragons' only away win in the last 12 months was 16-14 at Ulster in the Magners League on 19 September. Dragons have won on their last two visits to Scotland.
Glasgow have won their last two matches against the Dragons in the Magners League but the Welshmen won 32-22 when the two met in the European Cup on 11 October. Amazingly the Dragons have won on their last four visits to Glasgow.
OSPREYS v MUNSTER
At Liberty Stadium, 7.05pm. Live on Setanta Sports and BBC Sport Wales.
Referee: Andy Macpherson (SRU, 20th League game). Assistant Referees: Tim Hayes (WRU), Huw David (WRU).
TMO: Nigel Whitehouse (WRU).
|
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
O |
M |
Ospreys scorers |
Munster scorers |
|
Sat 10 Sep 05 |
Musgrave Park |
10 |
37 |
Barry Williams(T) Matthew Jones(P) Shaun Connor(C) |
Anthony Horgan(2T) John Kelly(T) Shaun Payne(T) Paul Burke(3C/3P) Jeremy Manning(C) |
|
Fri 5 May 06 |
Liberty Stadium |
27 |
10 |
Shane Williams(2T) Jason Spice(T) Gavin Henson(3C/2P) |
Penalty Try(T) Ronan O'Gara(C/P) |
|
Sat 25 Nov 06 |
Thomond Park |
20 |
25 |
Jonny Vaughton(T) Shaun Connor(T/2C/2P) |
James Coughlan(T) Jeremy Manning(C/D/5P) |
|
Sat 7 Apr 07 |
Liberty Stadium |
20 |
12 |
James Hook(T/2C/2P) Justin Marshall(T) |
Brian Carney(T) Ronan O'Gara(C) Donnacha Ryan(T) |
|
Sun 14 Oct 07 |
Liberty Stadium |
16 |
3 |
Lee Byrne(T) Shane Williams(T) Gareth Owen(2P) |
Jeremy Manning(P) |
|
Sat 19 Apr 08 |
Musgrave Park |
8 |
9 |
James Hook(P) Sonny Parker(T) |
Paul Warwick(3P) |
Ospreys have won back to back matches in the Magners League against fellow Welsh regions Scarlets and Blues. The Welshmen have won all seven home games in all competitions this season, whilst the last Irish side to win at Liberty Stadium was Leinster, 26-19 on 23 November 2007.
Munster have won just one of their last four games in all competitions: 24-13 at home to Clermont Auvergne in the European Cup on 13 December. Munster have won their last five matches against Welsh opponents since the Blues beat them 25-22 at the Arms Park on 1 March 2008.
The last eight encounters between the two teams have been won by the home side on the day, whilst Munster's only previous victory on Ospreys soil was 20-18 at The Gnoll in the European Cup on 31 October 2004.
Saturday 10 January
LEINSTER v CARDIFF BLUES
At RDS, 7.30pm. Live on S4/C and Setanta Sports.
Referee: Peter Allan (SRU, 24th League game). Assistant Referees: G Clancy (IRFU), J Lacey (IRFU).
TMO: TBC (IRFU).
|
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
L |
C |
Leinster scorers |
Cardiff Blues scorers |
|
Sun 14 May 06 |
Millennium Stadium |
31 |
40 |
Shane Horgan(T) Gordon D'Arcy(T) Denis Hickie(T) Rob Kearney(T) Felipe Contepomi(4C/P) |
Nick Macleod(T) Mike Phillips(T) Chris Czekaj(T) Martyn Williams(T) Craig Morgan(T) Nick Robinson(3C/3P) |
|
Sat 16 Sep 06 |
Donnybrook |
16 |
9 |
Michael Berne(T) Felipe Contepomi(C/3P) |
Ben Blair(3P) |
|
Fri 11 May 07 |
Arms Park |
11 |
27 |
Felipe Contepomi(2P) Shane Horgan(T) |
Ben Blair(P) Nick Robinson(2C) Marc Stcherbina(T) Rhys Williams(T) Gareth Williams(T) Robin Sowden-Taylor(T) |
|
Fri 28 Sep 07 |
Arms Park |
30 |
19 |
Luke Fitzgerald(2T) Jamie Heaslip(T) Johnny Sexton(T/2C/2P) |
Tom James(T) Nick Robinson(3P) Mark Lewis(T) |
|
Sat 16 Feb 08 |
Royal Dublin Society |
24 |
17 |
Michael Berne(T) Luke Fitzgerald(T) Felipe Contepomi(C/4P) |
Ben Blair(2C/P) Nick Macleod(T) Ma'ama Molitika(T) |
|
Sat 6 Sep 08 |
Arms Park |
16 |
16 |
Felipe Contepomi(C/3P) Isa Nacewa(T) |
Ben Blair(T/C/P) Nick Robinson(2D) |
Leinster have won their last three matches in the Magners League since the 12-15 loss to Glasgow at Firhill on 24 October. Leinster have lost just once at the RDS since October 2007: 0-18 to Munster in the Magners League on 28 September 2008. Just one Welsh team has ever won at the RDS: Scarlets 52-23 on 5 October 2007.
Cardiff Blues' have won only one of their last four matches in the Magners League: 21-19 at Newport Gwent Dragons on Boxing Day. The Blues have not won outside Wales in the Magners League this season,
Blues have not beaten Leinster since a 27-11 victory at the Arms Park on 11 May 2007, whilst their only previous win in Dublin was 22-18 at Donnybrook in the League on 5 March 2004.
63x46.png){kind=logo}