Boost for Ospreys as Gareth Anscombe returns
The United Rugby Championship’s Round Seven action is set for kick-off as six matches take place, ending with Glasgow Warriors hosting Dragons on Saturday.
Check on all the team news for the weekend, including Friday’s games, while we also attempt to predict the results of the fixtures.
Friday
Sharks v Bulls
Prediction: Sharks by 3
The teams:
Sharks: 15 Anthony Volmink, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Lukhanyo Am (c), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Jeandre Labuschagne, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Hyron Andrews, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu
Replacements: 16 Kerron van Vuuren, 17 Khwezi Mona, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Reniel Hugo, 20 Henco Venter, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Tito Bonilla, 23 Werner Kok
Bulls: 15 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 David Kriel, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Richard Kriel, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Arno Botha, 6 Marcell Coetzee (c), 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Walt Steenkamp, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp
Replacements: 16 Johan Grobbelaar, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Lizo Gqoboka, 19 Jacques du Plessis, 20 Sintu Manjezi, 21 Zak Burger, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Harold Vorster
Venue: Jonsson Kings Park Stadium, Durban
Kick-off: 19:00 local (17:00 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (South Africa), Paul Mente (South Africa)
TMO: Stuart Berry (South Africa)
Edinburgh v Benetton
Prediction: Edinburgh by 10
The teams:
Edinburgh: 15 Emiliano Boffelli, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Matt Currie, 12 James Lang, 11 Damien Hoyland, 10 Blair Kinghorn, 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 5 Grant Gilchrist (c), 4 Jamie Hodgson, 3 WP Nel, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Boan Venter
Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Pierre Schoeman, 18 Lee-Roy Atalifo, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Jamie Ritchie, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Charlie Savala, 23 Mark Bennett
Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Ratuva Tavuyara, 13 Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Leonardo Marin, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage (c), 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Michele Lamaro, 6 Giovanni Pettinelli, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Tiziano Pasquali, 2 Hame Faiva, 1 Federico Zani
Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Ivan Nemer, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Alessandro Garbisi, 22 Joaquin Riera, 23 Edoardo Padovani
Venue: DAM Health Stadium, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 19:35 GMT
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant referees: Finlay Brown (Scotland), Ross Mabon (Scotland)
TMO: Ian Davies (Wales)
Leinster v Connacht
Prediction: Leinster by 8
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Jordan Larmour, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 James Lowe, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Luke McGrath (c), 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Rhys Ruddock, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Ryan Baird, 3 Michael Alaalatoa, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Cian Healy
Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Andrew Porter, 18 Vakh Abdaladze, 19 Josh Murphy, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Nick McCarthy, 22 Ross Byrne, 23 Tommy O’Brien
Connacht: 15 Oran McNulty, 14 Alex Wootton, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Peter Robb, 11 Mack Hansen, 10 Jack Carty (c), 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 Jarrad Butler, 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Eoghan Masterson, 5 Ultan Dillane, 4 Oisín Dowling, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Matthew Burke
Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Jordan Duggan, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Leva Fifita, 20 Cian Prendergast, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Conor Fitzgerald, 23 Tom Farrell
Venue: RDS Arena, Dublin
Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Eoghan Cross (Ireland), Oisin Quinn (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
Saturday
Ospreys v Ulster
Prediction: Ulster by 7
The teams:
Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Michael Collins, 12 Owen Watkin, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Rhys Webb (c), 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Jac Morgan, 6 Will Griffiths, 5 Bradley Davies, 4 Rhys Davies, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Gareth Thomas
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Jack Regan, 20 Ethan Roots, 21 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler
Ulster: 15 Mike Lowry, 14 Robert Baloucoune, 13 Angus Curtis, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Ethan McIlroy, 10 Billy Burns, 9 John Cooney, 8 David McCann, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Sean Reidy, 5 Alan O’Connor (c), 4 Kieran Treadwell, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Bradley Roberts, 1 Eric O’Sullivan
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Marty Moore, 19 Mick Kearney, 20 Marcus Rea, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Stewart Moore, 23 Craig Gilroy
Venue: Swansea.com Stadium
Kick-off: 15:00 GMT
Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Gwyn Morris (Wales), Aaron Parry (Wales)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
Stormers v Lions
Prediction: Stormers by 5
The teams:
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Ruhan Nel, 12 Dan du Plessis, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Willie Engelbrecht, 6 Junior Pokomela, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Brok Harris
Replacements: 16 Andre-Hugo Venter, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Lee-Marvin Mazibuko, 19 Ernst van Rhyn, 20 Nama Xaba, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Rikus Pretorius, 23 Tim Swiel
Lions: 15 EW Viljoen, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Burger Odendaal (c), 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Fred Zeilinga, 9 Andre Warner, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Vince Tshituka, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Sti Sithole
Replacements: 16 PJ Botha, 17 Morgan Naude, 18 Jannie du Plessis, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Ruhan Straeuli, 21 Morne van den Berg, 22 Matt More, 23 Tiaan Swanepoel
Venue: Cape Town Stadium
Kick-off: 17:00 local (15:00 GMT)
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Cwengile Jadezweni (South Africa)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (South Africa)
Glasgow Warriors v Dragons
Prediction: Glasgow Warriors by 6
The teams:
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Kyle Steyn, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Cole Forbes, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 Ali Price, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Ryan Wilson (c), 5 Richie Gray, 4 Rob Harley, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 George Turner, 1 Oli Kebble
Replacements: 16 Johnny Matthews, 17 Nathan McBeth, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Lewis Bean, 20 Kiran McDonald, 21 Jamie Dobie, 22 Domingo Miotti, 23 Nick Grigg
Dragons: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 Jonah Holmes, 13 Aneurin Owen, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 Rio Dyer, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Dan Babos, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Ollie Griffiths, 6 Harri Keddie (c), 5 Joe Maksymiw, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Leon Brown, 2 Ellis Shipp, 1 Aki Seiuli
Replacements: 16 James Benjamin, 17 Josh Reynolds, 18 Mesake Doge, 19 Joe Davies, 20 Huw Taylor, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Josh Lewis, 23 Adam Warren
Venue: Scotstoun
Kick-off: 17:35 GMT
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Ben Blain (Scotland), Duns McClement (Scotland)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (Ireland)
