New Year's Day sees Scarlets welcome Newport Gwent Dragons to Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli. Dragons have won just four of their previous 13 encounters with Scarlets, and were victorious in Llanelli just once: in September 2007, so the hosts will be hoping to build on the success of their last home game which saw a 27-13 victory over Cardiff Blues.
The second leg of the Scottish derby takes place at Firhill Arena on Friday afternoon with Edinburgh taking a 33 point lead from the first game between the two on Boxing Day. That fixture smashed the record crowd for a Magners League game in Scotland (12,534), so Warriors will be looking for a good turnout at Firhill to break their attendance record as well.
In Ireland, Connacht will be looking to build on their historic win over Munster by completing a first ever season double over a fellow Irish Province when they travel to the Dublin to face Leinster, a difficult task given that the Leinstermen have been defeated just once at the RDS since October 2007.
A full house at Thomond Park Stadium is assured for the final game of the round when table topping Munster welcome Ulster on Saturday evening. The Ulstermen's last win in Munster was 20-17 in Cork on 3 December 2005, whilst their last triumph at Thomond Park was over 16 years ago, in the Interprovincial Championship on 28 November 1992.
Wednesday 31 December: CARDIFF BLUES v OSPREYS
Arms Park, 2.05pm.Live on BBC Sport Wales / Setanta Sports
Referee: Nigel Owens (WRU,50th League game). Assistant Referees: Hugh Watkins (WRU), Phil Fear (WRU). TMO: Tony Rowlands (WRU).
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS
| Date | Venue | C | O | Cardiff Blues scorers | Ospreys scorers |
| Fri 3 Mar 06 | Arms Park |
40 |
14 |
Nick Robinson(T/3C/3P) Chris Czekaj(3T) Jamie Robinson(T) | James Bater(T) Shaun Connor(2D) Gavin Henson(P) |
| Wed 13 Sep 06 | Liberty Stadium |
16 |
18 |
Nick Robinson(T/C/2D/P) | Shane Williams(T) Ryan Jones(T) Richie Pugh(T) Gavin Henson(P) |
| Sat 23 Dec 06 | Arms Park |
30 |
24 |
Ben Blair(2T/3C/3P) Nick Robinson(T) | Ian Evans(T) Gavin Henson(C/4P) Filo Tiatia(T) |
| Fri 31 Aug 07 | Arms Park |
17 |
15 |
Nick Robinson(4P) Rhys Williams(T) | Shaun Connor(5P) |
| Mon 31 Dec 07 | Liberty Stadium |
3 |
22 |
Ben Blair(P) | Huw Bennett(T) James Hook(C/5P) |
| Tue 9 Sep 08 | Liberty Stadium |
10 |
32 |
Aled Brew(T) Ben Blair(C/P) | Tommy Bowe(T) James Hook(2T/3C/2P) Shane Williams(T) |
Cardiff Blues have won three of their last four matches in all competitions, following their 21-19 victory at the Dragons on Boxing Day. Blues have won all seven afternoon kick-off games they have had in 2008 since Ospreys beat them in this equivalent fixture at Liberty Stadium exactly twelve months ago. The Blues have not lost at the Arms Park to a fellow Welsh team since Ospreys were the visitors on New Year's Day 2005.
Ospreys have also won three of their last four games in all competitions. However, away from home they have secured just one win in their last six encounters: 36-16 in Treviso on 13 December. Ospreys have not won away from home against a fellow Welsh region since their trip to Rodney Parade on 8 May 2007 ended in a 27-13 victory.
The last six meetings between these two teams in the Magners League have all been won by the home side on the day, whilst Ospreys only previous win at the Arms Park was 15-9 on 1 January 2005.
Nigel Owens becomes the first referee to take charge of 50 league games.
Thursday 1 January: SCARLETS v NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS
Parc y Scarlets, 5.15pm. Live on S4C / Setanta Sports
Referee: James Jones (WRU, 23rd League game). Assistant Referees: David Bodilly (WRU), Jonathan Mason (WRU). TMO: Derek Bevan (WRU).
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS
|
Date |
Venue |
S |
N |
Scarlets scorers |
Newport Gwent Dragons scorers |
| Sat 22 Apr 06 | Stradey Park |
36 |
17 |
Mark Jones(3T) Ceiron Thomas(2C) Dafydd James(2T) Lee Byrne(T) Mike Hercus(C) | Leigh Hinton(P) Nathan Brew(T) Jason Forster(T) Aled Thomas(2C) |
| Tue 12 Sep 06 | Rodney Parade |
23 |
22 |
Gavin Evans(2T) Ceiron Thomas(T) Stephen Jones(C/2P) | Nathan Brew(T) Ceri Sweeney(C/D/4P) |
| Fri 23 Mar 07 | Stradey Park |
35 |
11 |
James Bater(T) Barry Davies(T) Mark Jones(T) Ceiron Thomas(T/2C/2P) Dafydd James(T) | Ceri Sweeney(2P) Kevin Morgan(T) |
| Sat 1 Sep 07 | Stradey Park |
23 |
30 |
Iestyn Thomas(T) Ceiron Thomas(2C/3P) Garan Evans(T) | Phillip Dollman(C) Andy Williams(T) Rhys M. Thomas(T) Aled Thomas(2C/3P) Gareth Wyatt(T) |
| Tue 1 Jan 08 | Rodney Parade |
13 |
15 |
Penalty Try(T) Rhys Priestland(C/2P) | Richard Mustoe(T) Ceri Sweeney(C/P) Ashley Smith(T) |
| Wed 10 Sep 08 | Rodney Parade |
27 |
25 |
Nathan Brew(T) Martin Roberts(T) Stephen Jones(C/5P) | Lewis Evans(T) Richard Fussell(T) James Arlidge(2C/2P) Tom Willis(T) |
Scarlets only win in their last six games was 27-13 over Cardiff Blues at Parc y Scarlets on 20 December. Scarlets have not lost at home to a fellow Welsh region since Dragons were the visitors to Stradey Park on 1 September 2007 and came away with a 30-23 victory.
Newport Gwent Dragons have won just one of their last eight matches in all competitions: 30-24 over Ospreys at Rodney Parade on 19 December. Dragons' only away win since early January 2008 was 16-14 at Ulster in the Magners League on 19 September.
Newport Gwent Dragons have won just four of their previous 13 encounters with Scarlets, and have won in Llanelli just once: in September 2007.
Dragons will be more than happy that James Jones is the referee - the last six Magners League games he has taken charge of have all been won by the away team!
Friday 2 January: GLASGOW WARRIORS v EDINBURGH
At Firhill Arena, 3pm. Live on Setanta Sports
Referee: Rob Debney (RFU, 2nd League game). Assistant Referees: Andy Ireland (SRU), Ronnie Dumma (SRU). TMO: Ian Ramage (SRU).
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS
|
Date |
Venue |
G |
E |
Glasgow Warriors scorers |
Edinburgh scorers |
| Sun 4 Dec 05 | Firhill Arena |
46 |
6 |
Johnnie Beattie(T) Kevin Tkachuk(T) Colin Gregor(T/4C/2P) Graydon Staniforth(2T) Graeme Morrison(T) Dan Parks(C) | Duncan Hodge(2P) |
| Fri 29 Sep 06 | Murrayfield |
9 |
14 |
Colin Gregor(D) Dan Parks(2P) | Hugo Southwell(T) Chris Paterson(2P) Duncan Hodge(D) |
| Fri 22 Dec 06 | Hughenden |
34 |
27 |
Dan Parks(T/2C/2D/3P) Andrew Henderson(T) Dan Turner(T) | Marcus di Rollo(2T) Hugo Southwell(T) Chris Paterson(3C/2P) |
| Fri 28 Dec 07 | Murrayfield |
31 |
35 |
Kelly Brown(T) Dan Parks(T/2C/4P) Moray Low(T) | David Callam(T) Ben Cairns(T) Phil Godman(3C/3P) Mike Blair(T) Simon Webster(T) |
| Fri 11 Apr 08 | Firhill Arena |
23 |
14 |
Dan Parks(2T/2C/2D/P) | Phil Godman(3P) Andrew Turnbull(T) |
| Fri 26 Dec 08 | Murrayfield |
6 |
39 |
Dan Parks(2P) | Ben Cairns(T) Hugo Southwell(T) Simon Webster(T) Mike Blair(T) Phil Godman(2C/5P) |
Glasgow Warriors have lost their last three matches in all competitions since beating the Blues 28-0 at Firhill on 28 November in the Magners League. Glasgow's only defeat in their last seven Magners League games at Firhill was 18-21 to Ospreys on 12 September.
Edinburgh have won their last three encounters in the Magners League since losing 9-13 at Ulster on 3 October.
The last ten meetings between these two old rivals have all been won by the home team on the day, with the last side to buck that trend being Edinburgh with their 25-16 victory at Hughenden on 27 December 2003.
LEINSTER v CONNACHT
At RDS, 7.30pm. Live on Setanta Sports
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (IRFU, 19th League game). Assistant Referees: C Stanley (IRFU), D Wilkinson (IRFU). TMO: Dermot Moloney (IRFU).
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS
|
Date |
Venue |
L |
C |
Leinster scorers |
Connacht scorers |
| Sun 5 Mar 06 | Donnybrook |
16 |
13 |
Felipe Contepomi(T/C/3P) | Andrew Mailei(T) Paul Warwick(C/2P) |
| Fri 29 Sep 06 | Sportsground |
31 |
16 |
Trevor Hogan(T) Guy Easterby(T) Shane Horgan(T) Denis Hickie(T) Felipe Contepomi(C/2P) Gordon D'Arcy(D) | Darren Yapp(T) Mark McHugh(C/2P) Danny Riordan(P) |
| Sat 24 Mar 07 | Donnybrook |
30 |
21 |
Felipe Contepomi(3C/3P) Shane Horgan(T) Bernard Jackman(T) Keith Gleeson(T) | Paul Warwick(T/C/3P) Adrian Flavin(T) |
| Fri 2 Nov 07 | Royal Dublin Society |
29 |
9 |
Gordon D'Arcy(2T) Christian Warner(2C/5P) | Tim Donnelly(D/2P) |
| Fri 29 Feb 08 | Sportsground |
16 |
10 |
Felipe Contepomi(C/3P) Shane Horgan(T) | Andy Dunne(C/P) Keith Matthews(T) |
| Sun 5 Oct 08 | Sportsground |
18 |
19 |
Felipe Contepomi(6P) | Ian Keatley(C/4P) Mike McCarthy(T) |
Leinster have won three of their last four matches in all competitions. The Leinstermen have been defeated just once at the RDS since October 2007: 0-18 to Munster in the Magners League on 28 September.
Connacht's 12-6 victory over Munster on Sunday makes it three wins in a row in all competitions, whilst they have not won four in a row since season 2003/04. Connacht have won just once on the road in the Magners League since September 2006: 13-11 at the Dragons on 18 April, and have not won away from home against a fellow Irish province since a 26-23 victory against Leinster at Donnybrook in the league on 13 September 2002. Connacht beat Leinster 19-18 at Galway on 5 October and are going for a first ever season's double over an Irish side.
Saturday 3 January: MUNSTER v ULSTER
At Thomond Park Stadium, 7.30pm. Live on
Referee: Alan Lewis (IRFU, 28th League game). Assistant Referees: D Keane (IRFU), A Rogan (IRFU). TMO: John Carvill (IRFU).
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT MAGNERS LEAGUE MEETINGS
|
Date |
Venue |
M |
U |
Munster scorers |
Ulster scorers |
| Fri 3 Mar 06 | Ravenhill |
3 |
27 |
Paul Burke(P) | Tommy Bowe(T) Roger Wilson(T) Paul Steinmetz(T) Justin Harrison(T) Neil McMillan(T) David Humphreys(C) |
| Sat 30 Sep 06 | Musgrave Park |
21 |
13 |
David Wallace(T) Anthony Horgan(T) Ronan O'Gara(C/3P) | Paul Steinmetz(T) David Humphreys(C/2P) |
| Fri 23 Mar 07 | Ravenhill |
24 |
21 |
Brian Carney(T) Eoghan Hickey(C/P) Trevor Halstead(T) Jeremy Manning(2C) John O'Sullivan(T) | David Humphreys(3C) Paul Steinmetz(T) Andrew Trimble(T) Roger Wilson(T) |
| Sat 22 Mar 08 | Musgrave Park |
42 |
6 |
Paul Warwick(2C) Tony Buckley(T) James Coughlan(T) Doug Howlett(T) Ronan O'Gara(T/4C) Mick O'Driscoll(T) Tomas O'Leary(T) | Niall O'Connor(2P) |
| Wed 30 Apr 08 | Ravenhill |
9 |
19 |
Paul Warwick(3P) | Ryan Caldwell(T) Rob Dewey(T) Paddy Wallace(2C) Andrew Trimble(T) |
| Sat 25 Oct 08 | Ravenhill |
6 |
22 |
Paul Warwick(2P) | Timoci Nagusa(2T) Ian Humphreys(2C/P) Isaac Boss(T) |
Munster still top the Magners League table despite the fact that have won just one of their last three matches in the League: 18-16 at the Scarlets on 28 November. The Munstermen have not been defeated by a fellow Irish team at Thomond Park since Leinster were the visitors in the Interprovincial Championship (15-19) on 16 December 1995.
Ulster's three game winning run in the Magners League came to a halt at Ravenhill on Saturday with a 13-21 defeat to Leinster. Ulster's only away win since April 2007 was 30-13 at Connacht on 23 November 2007.
Ulster have won their last two games against Munster, but both matches were played at Ravenhill. The Ulstermen's last win in Munster was 20-17 in Cork on 3 December 2005, whilst their last triumph at Thomond Park was 12-11 in the Interprovincial Championship on 28 November 1992.
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