Also on Friday night Andy Robinson will make his debut as a Magners League coach leading an Edinburgh side buoyed by their win over Ulster last weekend against the Ospreys, with the champions travelling north looking to build on the opening win of their title defence, against Glasgow Warriors last weekend.
After successive away defeats the Warriors will be glad to get back to Glasgow for Friday's fourth fixture. The Warriors have won their last four home games in the League, while Connacht will travel in trepidation having not won in Scotland for over a year, and having lost four of their last five games against the Glasgow side.
The final tie of the round, on Saturday evening, sees Ulster travel to Rodney Parade knowing they have won their last four games against the Newport Gwent Dragons - but seeking their first away league win since early April. A defeat for the Dragons will see them set an unwelcome record for the region of four straight league defeats.
PREVIEWS
Friday 5 October
EDINBURGH RUGBY v OSPREYS
At Murrayfield, 7.30pm.
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU). Touch Judges: Rob Dickson (SRU), Jim Yuille (SRU).
HEAD TO HEAD - PREVIOUS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
E |
O |
Edinburgh scorers |
Ospreys scorers |
|
Fri 17 Oct 03 |
The Gnoll |
18 |
42 |
Derrick Lee(T) Hugo Southwell(T) Alistair Warnock(C/2P) |
Shaun Connor(T) James Storey(T) Gavin Henson(2C/6P) Scott Gibbs(T) Andy Newman(T) |
|
Fri 12 Mar 04 |
Meadowbank |
31 |
35 |
Hugo Southwell(2T) Dougie Hall(T) Craig Joiner(T) Ander Monro(4C/P) |
James Storey(T) Stefan Terblanche(T) Andrew Millward(T) Richie Pugh(T) Gavin Henson(3C/3P) |
|
Fri 12 Nov 04 |
Murrayfield |
15 |
31 |
Simon Webster(T) Craig Joiner(T) Phil Godman(C/P) |
Andy Newman(T) Stefan Terblanche(T) Aled Brew(T) Matthew Jones(2C/D/2P) Shaun Connor(D) |
|
Sat 26 Mar 05 |
The Gnoll |
12 |
29 |
Andrew Kelly(T) Alasdair Dickinson(T) Chris Paterson(C) |
Jason Spice(T) Gavin Henson(T/2C/5P) |
|
Sun 25 Sep 05 |
Murrayfield |
24 |
18 |
Alasdair Dickinson(T) Simon Taylor(T) Rob Dewey(T) Chris Paterson(3C/P) |
Stefan Terblanche(T) Matthew Jones(T/C/2P) |
|
Sun 26 Mar 06 |
Liberty Stadium |
17 |
24 |
Simon Webster(T) Peter Jorgensen(T) Phil Godman(P) Duncan Hodge(2C) |
Huw Bennett(T) Shaun Connor(T) Gavin Henson(C/4P) |
|
Sat 2 Sep 06 |
Liberty Stadium |
11 |
17 |
Simon Webster(T) Chris Paterson(2P) |
Lee Byrne(T) James Hook(4P) |
|
Fri 2 Mar 07 |
Murrayfield |
12 |
30 |
Ben Cairns(T) Matt Mustchin(T) Duncan Hodge(C) |
Huw Bennett(T) Jason Spice(C) Steve Tandy(T) Justin Marshall(T) Jonny Vaughton(T) Stefan Terblanche(T/P) |
Edinburgh Rugby's new head coach Andy Robinson makes his bow in the Magners League as the Capital side try to win back to back matches for the first time since January.
Ospreys won last week, 37-23 at home to Glasgow, and have won ten of their last eleven clashes against Scottish sides since September 2005.
Edinburgh has won just one of their last seven encounters with Ospreys: 24-18 at Murrayfield in September 2005.
Friday 5 October
GLASGOW WARRIORS v CONNACHT
At Firhill, 7.30pm. Live on Setanta Sports
Referee: Phil Fear (WRU). Touch Judges: Peter Allan (SRU), David Anderson (SRU).
TMO Malcolm Changleng (SRU)
HEAD TO HEAD - PREVIOUS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
G |
C |
Glasgow Warriors scorers |
Connacht scorers |
|
Sat 1 Dec 01 |
Sportsground (QF) |
34 |
29 |
James McLaren(T) Tommy Hayes(T/4C/2P) Jason White(T) Gareth Flockhart(T) |
Ted Robinson(T) Wayne Munn(T) Eric Elwood(2C/D/4P) |
|
Fri 25 Oct 02 |
Hughenden |
29 |
7 |
Stuart Moffat(T) Calvin Howarth(T/C/4P) Donnie Macfadyen(T) |
Mark McHugh(C) Dan McFarland(T) |
|
Fri 26 Sep 03 |
Hughenden |
19 |
30 |
Joe Beardshaw(T) Lee Harrison(T) Dan Parks(2C) Graeme Morrison(T) |
Mike Walls(T) Matt Mostyn(T) Conor McPhillips(T) Mark McHugh(3C/3P) |
|
Sat 28 Feb 04 |
Sportsground |
28 |
28 |
Sean Lamont(T) Glenn Metcalfe(T) Alan Bulloch(T) Calvin Howarth(3P) Dan Parks(2C) |
Conor McPhillips(2T) Mark McHugh(T) Eric Elwood(2C/3P) |
|
Sat 4 Sep 04 |
Sportsground |
15 |
31 |
Dan Parks(T/C/P) Kenny Logan(T) |
Matt Lacey(T) Paul Warwick(T/3C/P) Matt Mostyn(T) John Muldoon(T) Eric Elwood(C) |
|
Fri 17 Dec 04 |
Hughenden |
35 |
0 |
Sean Lamont(2T) Kevin Tkachuk(T) Donnie Macfadyen(T) Calvin Howarth(2C/3P) Dan Parks(C) |
- |
|
Fri 4 Nov 05 |
Hughenden |
30 |
15 |
Graydon Staniforth(T) Dan Turner(T) Colin Gregor(T/3C/3P) |
Andrew Farley(T) Conor McPhillips(T) Paul Warwick(C/P) |
|
Fri 26 May 06 |
Sportsground |
7 |
33 |
Sam Pinder(T) Colin Gregor(C) |
Matt Lacey(T) John Fogarty(T) Chris Keane(T) David Gannon(T) David Slemen(T) Mark McHugh(4C) |
|
Fri 3 Nov 06 |
Hughenden |
39 |
34 |
John Barclay(T) Francisco Leonelli Morey(T) Alastair Kellock(T) Dan Parks(T/4C/2P) Graeme Morrison(T) |
Paul Warwick(P) Mark McHugh(C/D/2P) Darren Yapp(T) Brendan O'Connor(T) Ray Ofisa(T) Daniel Riordan(T) |
|
Fri 13 Apr 07 |
Sportsground |
40 |
23 |
John Barclay(T) Kevin Tkachuk(T) Dan Parks(4C/D/3P) Rory Lamont(T) Hefin O'Hare(T) |
Paul Warwick(T/C/2P) Conor McPhillips(T) Penalty Try(T) |
Glasgow Warriors return to Firhill for the first time since May 2006, but the Warriors have won their last four home matches in the Magners League since an Ulster victory at Hughenden in January.
Connacht's only win since early March was 22-7 at home to the Dragons on 21 September; the Irishmen will attempt to win a game in Scotland for the first time since a trip to the Borders in September 2006.
Glasgow have won four of the last five meetings between the two teams as Connacht make their first ever visit to Firhill.
Friday 5 October
LEINSTER v LLANELLI SCARLETS
At RDS, Dublin, 7.10pm. Live on BBC Sports Wales and Setanta Sports
Referee: James Jones (WRU). Touch Judges: Colin Stanley (IRFU), S Flannery (IRFU). TMO Alan Rogan (IRFU)
|
HEAD TO HEAD - PREVIOUS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
L |
LS |
Leinster scorers |
Llanelli Scarlets scorers |
|
Fri 7 Nov 03 |
Donnybrook |
31 |
20 |
Christian Warner(T) John McWeeney(2T) Brian O'Meara(2C/4P) |
Tal Selley(T) Ian Boobyer(T) Barry Davies(2C) Gareth Bowen(2P) |
|
Fri 16 Apr 04 |
Stradey Park |
20 |
51 |
John McWeeney(2T) Shane Horgan(T) Felipe Contepomi(P) Brian O'Meara(C) |
Dwayne Peel(2T) Barry Davies(2T) Garan Evans(T) Jon Thiel(T) Stephen Jones(6C/3P) |
|
Sun 14 Nov 04 |
Racecourse Ground |
22 |
24 |
Ricky Nebbett(T) David Holwell(C/5P) |
Matthew Watkins(T) Aisea Havili Kaufusi(T) Barry Davies(T) Gareth Bowen(3C/P) |
|
Fri 25 Mar 05 |
Lansdowne Road |
31 |
25 |
Denis Hickie(T) David Holwell(C/8P) |
Tal Selley(T) Gareth Bowen(C/D/5P) |
|
Sat 7 Jan 06 |
Stradey Park |
18 |
20 |
Gordon D'Arcy(T) Denis Hickie(T) Felipe Contepomi(C/2P) |
Matthew Watkins(T) Barry Davies(T/P) Mike Hercus(2C/P) |
|
Fri 14 Apr 06 |
Lansdowne Road |
30 |
22 |
Cameron Jowitt(T) Brian Blaney(T) Guy Easterby(T) Girvan Dempsey(T) Felipe Contepomi(2C/2P) |
Iestyn Thomas(T) Lee Byrne(T) Gavin Thomas(T) Ceiron Thomas(2C/P) |
|
Sat 23 Sep 06 |
Stradey Park |
21 |
33 |
Denis Hickie(2T) Trevor Hogan(T) Felipe Contepomi(3C) |
Dafydd James(2T) Inoke Afeaki(T) Regan King(T) Stephen Jones(2C/3P) |
|
Fri 26 Jan 07 |
Donnybrook |
44 |
34 |
Gary Brown(T) Felipe Contepomi(5C/3P) Jamie Heaslip(2T) Stephen Keogh(T) Kieran Lewis(T) |
Barry Davies(T/C) Clive Stuart-Smith(T) Matthew Watkins(C) Regan King(T) Morgan Stoddart(T) Ceiron Thomas(C/P) Dafydd James(T) |
After stopping Cardiff Blues' record home winning run last Friday, Leinster now have the opportunity to equal the Blues mark with a 17th successive home win in the league. Leinster's only home defeat since March 2005 was 13-27 to Edinburgh at Donnybrook in November 2005.
Llanelli Scarlets have lost seven of their last eight away games in the Magners League, whilst the Scarlets only league victory in Ireland since February 2005 was 37-15 at Connacht on 15 September 2006.
All eight previous encounters between the two teams have gone the way of the home side on the day.
Friday 5 October
MUNSTER v CARDIFF BLUES
At Musgrave Park, 7.30pm.
Referee: David Changleng (SRU). Touch Judges: Eanna O'Dowd (IRFU), Paul Haycock (IRFU).
HEAD TO HEAD - PREVIOUS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
M |
C |
Munster scorers |
Cardiff Blues scorers |
|
Fri 28 Nov 03 |
Musgrave Park |
31 |
10 |
Frank Sheahan(2T) Shaun Payne(T) Mike Mullins(T) Penalty Try(T) Ronan O'Gara(3C) |
Jamie Robinson(T) Iestyn Harris(C/P) |
|
Fri 30 Apr 04 |
Arms Park |
14 |
60 |
Rob Henderson(2T) Jason Holland(2C) |
Craig Morgan(3T) Dan Baugh(T) Jamie Robinson(T) Tom Shanklin(2T) Heino Senekal(T) Martyn Williams(T) Iestyn Harris(6C/P) |
|
Sat 16 Oct 04 |
Thomond Park |
49 |
18 |
Christian Cullen(2T/D) Jim Williams(T) Paul Devlin(T) Rob Henderson(T) Ronan O'Gara(2C/5P) Paul Burke(C) |
Craig Quinnell(T) Kort Schubert(T) Lee Thomas(C/2P) |
|
Sat 5 Mar 05 |
Arms Park |
20 |
30 |
Marcus Horan(T) Frank Sheahan(T) Paul Burke(2C/2P) |
Nick Robinson(T/D) Kort Schubert(2T) Lee Thomas(2C/2P) Nick Macleod(C) |
|
Fri 4 Nov 05 |
Arms Park |
18 |
16 |
Paul Burke(5P) Jeremy Manning(P) |
Marc Stcherbina(T) Lee Thomas(C/3P) |
|
Sat 27 May 06 |
Thomond Park |
37 |
8 |
John Kelly(2T) Federico Pucciariello(T) Mossie Lawlor(T) Trevor Halstead(T) Jeremy Manning(C/2P) Paul Burke(2C) |
Duane Goodfield(T) Nick Macleod(P) |
|
Fri 1 Sep 06 |
Arms Park |
13 |
22 |
Tim Ryan(T) Jeremy Manning(C/2P) |
Chris Czekaj(T) Scott Morgan(T) Nick Robinson(4P) |
|
Fri 2 Mar 07 |
Musgrave Park |
12 |
19 |
Eoghan Hickey(4P) |
Ben Blair(C/4P) Tom James(T) |
Munster are going for a seventh successive victory in the Magners League, their last loss being 12-20 at Ospreys on 7 April. Munster's 26-16 win at the Dragons last week made it four wins in a row against Welsh opponents.
Cardiff Blues continue to set the pace in the Magners League despite a 19-30 reversal to Leinster at the Arms Park last Friday. The Blues have lost just one of their last five away matches: 10-38 at the Scarlets on 5 May.
The two sides met on four occasions last season with the Blues winning both games in the Magners League and Munster taking both in the European Cup.
Saturday 6 October
NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS v ULSTER
At Rodney Parade, 5.30pm. Live on S4/C
Referee: George Clancy (IRFU). Touch Judges: Huw David (WRU), Phil Connett (WRU).
TMO Tony Rowlands (WRU).
|
HEAD TO HEAD - PREVIOUS LEAGUE MEETINGS |
|
||||
|
Date |
Venue |
N |
U |
Newport Gwent Dragons scorers |
Ulster scorers |
|
Fri 26 Sep 03 |
Ravenhill |
18 |
37 |
Craig Warlow(C/D/P) Gerald Arasa(T) Gareth Baber(T) |
Andy Ward(T) Adam Larkin(4C/3P) Ryan Constable(T) Tony McWhirter(T) Tyrone Howe(T) |
|
Sat 28 Feb 04 |
Rodney Parade |
27 |
19 |
Lee Jarvis(T) Hal Luscombe(T) Percy Montgomery(C/5P) |
Roger Wilson(T) David Humphreys(C/4P) |
|
Fri 8 Oct 04 |
Ravenhill |
28 |
21 |
Kevin Morgan(T) Adam Black(T) Nathan Brew(T) Ceri Sweeney(2C/3P) |
Neil Best(T) Ronan McCormack(T) David Humphreys(C/3P) |
|
Fri 18 Feb 05 |
Rodney Parade |
13 |
11 |
Jason Forster(T) Craig Warlow(C) Percy Montgomery(2P) |
Bryn Cunningham(T) David Humphreys(D/P) |
|
Sat 24 Sep 05 |
Rodney Parade |
19 |
22 |
Ian Gough(T) Craig Warlow(C/D/3P) |
Andrew Trimble(T) Neil Best(2T) Paddy Wallace(2C/P) |
|
Sat 25 Mar 06 |
Ravenhill |
17 |
24 |
Steve Jones(T) Hal Luscombe(T) Craig Warlow(2C/P) |
Bryn Cunningham(T) Tommy Bowe(T) David Humphreys(T/3C/P) |
|
Sat 9 Sep 06 |
Rodney Parade |
25 |
32 |
Nic Fitisemanu(T) Aled Brew(2T) Ceri Sweeney(2C/2P) |
Andrew Maxwell(T) Bryn Cunningham(2T) Declan Fitzpatrick(T) David Humphreys(3C/2P) |
|
Fri 16 Feb 07 |
Ravenhill |
7 |
14 |
Aled Brew(T) Ceri Sweeney(C) |
David Humphreys(2C) Isaac Boss(T) Andrew Trimble(T) |
Newport Gwent Dragons have slipped to three successive home defeats in the Magners League and will not wish to set a new Dragons record of four defeats in a row at Rodney Parade.
Ulster's only away win in the Magners League since January was 33-9 at Border Reivers on 13 April. Ulster have lost on their last four visits to Wales.
Ulster have won the last four encounters between the two teams.
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