PRO12 Preview: Friday

Editor

LYON, FRANCE - APRIL 23: Leo Cullen , the Leinster head coach looks on during the European Rugby Champions Cup semi final match between ASM Clermont Auvergne and Leinster at Matmut Stadium de Gerland on April 23, 2017 in Lyon, France. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Cardiff Blues v Zebre

Danny Wilson has made three changes for Cardiff Blues' final home game of the PRO12 season. Aled Summerhill comes onto the wing, with Rhun Williams moving to full-back in the place of Matthew Morgan, while Tomos Williams gets the nod at scrum-half ahead of namesake Lloyd.

Up front, Rhys Gill starts at loose-head prop with Gethin Jenkins unavailable due to miner knee stiffness.

Meanwhile, the Italian coaching staff are able to bring back some key players from the last game played two weeks ago in Scotland against Glasgow Warriors.

Italian internationals Canna, Ceccarelli, Chistolini, Lovotti and Padovani are selected in the 23, while three other Azzurri are return from injury: D'Apice, Furno and Van Schalkwyk, with the South-African born number eight capped for the first time by Zebre for three months since the last game played before the Six Nations.

For the first time in his career with Zebre, centre Castello will be the captain of his side on his 24th overall cap with the white and black jersey.

Form: Cardiff Blues ended a three game winless run in the Guinness PRO12 with their 35-17 eclipsing of Ospreys on “Judgement Day”. The Blues have won just two of their last seven encounters in the Championship at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park. The Welshmen have not lost to an Italian opponent since a visit to Treviso in February 2016. Zebre have won two of their last three fixtures, but both of those matches were played at home in Parma. On the road Zebre’s only victory this season came on a visit to Edinburgh in October. The Blues have been defeated three times before by Zebre, twice in Parma in 2014 and 2015, and once in Cardiff in 2013.

The teams:

Cardiff Blues: 15 Rhun Williams, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Willis Halaholo, 11 Aled Summerhill, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Nick Williams, 7 Ellis Jenkins (c), 6 Josh Navidi, 5 Macauley Cook, 4 Jarrad Hoeata, 3 Taufa'ao Filise, 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Rhys Gill
Replacements: 16 Kirby Myhill, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 James Down, 20 Sion Bennett, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Steve Shingler, 23 Matthew Morgan

Zebre: 15 Edoardo Padovani, 14 Kayle Van Zyl, 13 Giulio Bisegni, 12 Tommaso Castello (c), 11 Mattia Bellini, 10 Carlo Canna, 9 Marcello Violi, 8 Derick Minnie, 7 Jacopo Sarto, 6 Maxime Mbandà, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Gideon Koegelenberg, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 2 Oliviero Fabiani, 1 Andrea Lovotti
Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apice, 17 Guillermo Roan, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Joshua Furno, 20 Andries Van Schalkwyk, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Kurt Baker, 23 Matteo Pratichetti

Date: Friday, April 28
Venue: Cardiff Arms Park
Kick-off: 19:05 local (18:05 GMT)
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Nigel Correll (Ireland), Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
TMO: Kevin Beggs (Ireland)


Edinburgh v Dragons

Acting Head Coach Duncan Hodge has named four changes to his starting line-up for Edinburgh’s final home game of the season. The only change to the backline is made at centre where Junior Rasolea is set to start in the number 12 jersey.

George Turner makes his first start of the season at hooker, with Allan Dell joining him in the front row. Ben Toolis – who was pulled from the matchday squad in Treviso due to illness – returns to the second row. Back-row John Hardie returns from injury to take a place on the bench.

Meanwhile, Dragons boss Kingsley Jones has made one change in the back three as Pat Howard is named on the wing, with Adam Hughes covering the right wing position and Carl Meyer given the nod as full-back.

There is also one change in the centre partnership as Jack Dixon is selected to join Sam Beard, with Angus O’Brien and Charlie Davies remaining as the half-backs.

The front row is all change with props Thomas Davies and Brok Harris selected, alongside hooker Thomas Rhys Thomas. The second row sees Matthew Screech and Welsh international Cory Hill named, with the back row seeing two positional changes made as skipper Lewis Evans moves to blind-flanker alongside open-side flanker Nic Cudd with Ollie Griffiths covering the number eight position.

The bench is made up of Rhys Buckley, Phil Price, Craig Mitchell, Rynard Landman, Harrison Keddie, Geraint Rhys Jones and Tom Prydie as well as promising Dragons Academy prospect Owain Leonard, who is set for his Dragons debut off the bench as cover at scrum-half.

Form: Edinburgh have lost their last eight matches in the Guinness PRO12, their poorest ever run in the Championship. The Scotsmen have played eight previous PRO12 games at Myreside, winning just two – against Caerphilly in 2001 and Ospreys in 2015. Newport Gwent Dragons have lost their last ten matches in all competitions since beating Enisei at Rodney Parade in the European Challenge Cup in January. The Welshmen have not won away from home since beating Gloucester in last season’s European Challenge Cup quarter-final at Kingsholm. Dragons won 27-19 when the two sides met at Rodney Parade in round 9 and have not achieved a PRO12 season’s double over the Scotsmen since 2011/12. Dragons most recent victory in Scotland was beating Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun in November 2013. This will be their first visit to Myreside.

The teams:

Edinburgh: 15 Glenn Bryce, 14 Damien Hoyland, 13 Chris Dean, 12 Junior Rasolea, 11 Rory Scholes, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Nathan Fowles, 8 Cornell du Preez, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Viliame Mata, 5 Ben Toolis, 4 Grant Gilchrist (c), 3 Simon Berghan, 2 George Turner, 1 Allan Dell
Replacements: 16 Ross Ford, 17 Murray McCallum, 18 Kevin Bryce, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 John Hardie, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Blair Kinghorn

Dragons: 15 Carl Meyer, 14 Adam Hughes, 13 Sam Beard, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Pat Howard, 10 Angus O’Brien, 9 Charlie Davies, 8 Ollie Griffiths, 7 Nic Cudd, 6 Lewis Evans (c), 5 Cory Hill, 4 Matthew Screech, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Thomas Rhys Thomas, 1 Thomas Davies
Replacements: 16 Rhys Buckley, 17 Phil Price, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 Rynard Landman, 20 Harrison Keddie, 21 Owain Leonard, 22 Geraint Rhys Jones, 23 Tom Prydie

Date: Friday, April 28
Venue: Myreside
Kick-off: 19:35 local (18:35 GMT)
Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Davies (Wales), Cammy Rudkin (Scotland)
TMO: Jon Mason (Wales)


Leinster v Glasgow

There are a number of changes from the Leinster team that faced Clermont last Sunday in the Champions Cup Semi-Final with a number of significant milestones celebrated at the Ballsbridge venue as Leinster look to secure a top of the PRO12 table end of season finish.

Zane Kirchner will start his last regular season game in the RDS before he departs to the Newport Gwent Dragons during the summer, with Adam Byrne coming in on the right wing and Fergus McFadden continuing on the left.

In the centre Carlow man Tom Daly starts his first ever game at the RDS. In his eight games to date, seven off the bench and one start away to Zebre in November, he has scored two tries. He will have Old Belvedere’s Rory O’Loughlin outside him in the number 13 jersey tomorrow evening.

UCD’s Nick McCarthy starts his first ever game for Leinster at scrum-half with his former St. Michael’s classmate Ross Byrne outside him at ten.

In the pack Peter Dooley starts at loose head prop with James Tracy at hooker, while Mike Ross, who announced his retirement earlier this week, starts his last regular season game at the RDS at tight head.

Ross Molony will captain the side for the first time in a competitive game. He has previously captained the side in a pre-season friendly against Bath but this will be the first time leading the team out in the PRO12. Beside him, fresh from leading Clontarf to a second AIL Final in as many years last weekend, Mick Kearney slots into the second lock position.

In the back row Dominic Ryan comes in at blind side flanker, with Josh van der Flier selected at open side and Jack Conan continuing at number eight for his 50th cap in Leinster colours.

Meanwhile, Tommy Seymour will make his 100th Glasgow Warriors appearance, starting at full-back. It will be Seymour’s first game since being announced in the British and Irish Lions squad for this summer’s tour to New Zealand. 

Seymour scored four tries in a man of the match performance in the reverse fixture at Scotstoun earlier this season, inspiring Glasgow to a 33-25 bonus-point victory.

Leonardo Sato and Lee Jones will join Seymour in the back three, occupying the wing berths. Nick Grigg and Sam Johnson continue their pairing in the middle of the park, both having scored tries against Zebre at Scotstoun in Glasgow’s last game.

Peter Horne, who had a 100 percent kicking record against Zebre, retains his spot at 10 and is again joined by co-captain Henry Pyrgos at scrum-half.

Alex Allan is another to reach a personal milestone at the RDS, making his 50th appearance for the club. He is joined in the front row by Fraser Brown and Sila Puafisi.

Brian Alainu’uese celebrates his recent new contract with another start and he is joined by co-captain Jonny Gray in the second row. Tim Swinson starts on the blind flank on his return to the side with Chris Fusaro and Adam Ashe completing the back-row.

Scotland internationals Gordon Reid, Zander Fagerson, Ali Price, Finn Russell and Alex Dunbar all return from a week of rest and will look to bring an impact to the game off the bench.

Form: Leinster have won their last nine Guinness PRO12 matches since their 17-29 reversal to Munster in Limerick on 26 December. The Leinstermen have not been defeated at the RDS Arena in the Championship since Dragons won there in February 2015. Glasgow Warriors only defeat in the last four rounds of the Guinness PRO12 was 7-10 to Munster in Cork on 8 April. Glasgow have lost their last four away games in all competitions since beating Leicester Tigers 43-0 at Welford Road in the European Champions Cup in January. The Warriors have won just one of their last seven fixtures against Irish provinces in all tournaments: 35-24 at home to Connacht in March. Glasgow’s only defeat in their last five matches against Leinster since the 2014 final was at the RDS Arena in October 2015. Warriors solitary victory in fourteen previous visits to RDS Arena was 23-19 in the PRO12 in September 2011.

The teams:

Leinster: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Adam Byrne, 13 Rory O’Loughlin, 12 Tom Daly, 11 Fergus McFadden, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Nick McCarthy, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Dominic Ryan, 5 Mick Kearney, 4 Ross Molony (c), 3 Mike Ross, 2 James Tracy, 1 Peter Dooley
Replacements: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Michael Bent, 19 Ian Nagle, 20 Dan Leavy, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Joey Carbery, 23 Noel Reid

Glasgow: 15 Tommy Seymour, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Nick Grigg, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Lee Jones, 10 Peter Horne, 9 Henry Pyrgos (cc), 8 Adam Ashe, 7 Chris Fusaro, 6 Tim Swinson, 5 Jonny Gray (cc), 4 Brian Alainu’uese, 3 Sila Puafisi, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Alex Allan
Replacements: 16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Rob Harley, 20 Matt Fagerson, 21 Ali Price, 22 Finn Russell, 23 Alex Dunbar

Date: Friday, April 28
Venue: RDS Arena
Kick-off: 19:35 local (18:35 GMT)
Referee: Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Assistant Referees: Rhys Thomas (Wales), Simone Boaretto (Italy)
TMO: Alan Falzone (Italy)