Billy Burns back to lead Ulster against Cardiff Blues

David Skippers

The Round Four PRO14 action concludes on Monday with Cardiff Blues, Zebre and Glasgow Warriors hosting Ulster, Ospreys and Leinster in their respective matches.

Cardiff Blues v Ulster

Cardiff Blues have made two changes for Monday’s PRO14 encounter with Ulster at Rodney Parade.

The Welsh capital city outfit return to their temporary Rodney Parade home following a frustrating defeat to Munster and face another fierce challenge from across the Irish Sea.

Ulster are currently unbeaten in Conference A and sit just a point behind leaders Leinster in second-place.

Cardiff Blues head coach John Mulvihill has reinforced his pack with added punch as Will Boyde returns from injury to make his first appearance of the season and Josh Turnbull returns from suspension.

Both players join James Botham in the back-row with James Ratti moving forward into the second-row.

The rest of the pack and backline remains unchanged with Kristian Dacey continuing to captain his region in between Corey Domachowski and Dmitri Arhip.

Lewis Jones continues in the number nine jersey and partners Jarrod Evans. Willis Halaholo and Rey Lee-Lo provide a familiar midfield, while back three Hallam Amos, Aled Summerhill and Matthew Morgan will look to continue their rich vein of form.

With Boyde and Turnbull returning to the starting line-up, Ben Murphy and Olly Robinson will provide impact from the replacements with Alun Lawrence and Sam Moore dropping out.

For Ulster, Matty Rea is set to make his 50th Ulster appearance for the Northern Irish province in this fixture.

The 27-year-old Ballymena man made his Ulster debut against the Cheetahs in September 2017, and has already shown some excellent form this year when collecting the Player of the Match award in the season opener versus Benetton.

Rea will start at blindside flanker, with Jordi Murphy being retained at openside and Nick Timoney coming in to start at number eight. Adam McBurney will make his first start this season at hooker and is joined in the front-row by Eric O’Sullivan – who scored his first Ulster try last week – and Marty Moore. Alan O’Connor retains his starting berth in the second-row, and will be partnered with Kieran Treadwell, who is also making his first start this season.

Billy Burns will make his return from injury to captain the side at fly-half, alongside John Cooney – who has been released from the Ireland Six Nations squad – at scrum-half.

Burns is one of four changes to the backline, with Stuart McCloskey also being released from international duties to start alongside Stewart Moore in midfield.

Michael Lowry comes in to start at full-back, and he will be joined on the wings by Louis Ludik and the returning Craig Gilroy.

Luke Marshall is set to make his return from injury to make his first appearance this season as he is included among the replacements. Alby Mathewson and Academy back three prospect Ethan McIlroy will cover the backline along with Marshall. John Andrew, Jack McGrath, Ross Kane, Sam Carter, and Sean Reidy provide the forward options on the bench.

The teams:

Cardiff Blues: 15 Matthew Morgan, 14 Aled Summerhill, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Willis Halaholo, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Jarrod Evans, 9 Lewis Jones, 8 Will Boyde, 7 James Botham, 6 Josh Turnbull, 5 Rory Thornton, 4 James Ratti, 3 Dmitri Arhip, 2 Kristian Dacey (c), 1 Corey Domachowski
Replacements: 16 Ethan Lewis, 17 Brad Thyer, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Ben Murphy, 20 Olly Robinson, 21 Jamie Hill, 22 Jason Tovey, 23 Garyn Smith

Ulster: 15 Michael Lowry, 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 Stewart Moore, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Louis Ludik, 10 Billy Burns (c), 9 John Cooney, 8 Nick Timoney, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 Matthew Rea, 5 Kieran Treadwell, 4 Alan O’Connor, 3 Marty Moore, 2 Adam McBurney, 1 Eric O’Sullivan
Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Ross Kane, 19 Sam Carter, 20 Sean Reidy, 21 Alby Mathewson, 22 Luke Marshall, 23 Ethan McIlroy

Venue: Rodney Parade
Kick-off: 18:00 GMT
Referee: Sam Grove-White
Assistant referees: Adam Jones, Ben Breakspear
Television match official: Ian Davies

Zebre v Ospreys

Zebre head coach Michael Bradley has rung the changes to his starting XV for Monday’s clash with the Ospreys at Stadio Sergio Lamfranchi in Parma.

In the backline, Junior Laloifi starts at full-back with Giovanni D’Onofrio and Pierre Bruno joining him in the back three as the two wings while Giulio Bisegni and Tommaso Boni line up in midfield. Boni will also captain the side from inside centre with Antonio Rizzi and Joshua Renton forming the half-back combination.

In the forwards, Giovanni Licata packs down at number eight while Renato Giammarioli and Lorenzo Masselli are the two flankers and Ian Nagle and Samuele Ortis start in the second-row.

Marco Manfredi is the starting hooker and Eduardo Bella and Paolo Buonfiglio join him in the front-row as the two props.

Meanwhile, Dan Lydiate skippers the Ospreys, who are looking for their second away win of the 2020/21 season. He lines up alongside an unchanged pack from the side that defeated Glasgow Warriors last weekend.

Rhodri Jones, Dewi Lake and Tom Botha make up the front-row with last week’s Player of the Match, Adam Beard joining Bradley Davies in the engine room. Olly Cracknell and James King complete the starting forwards.

Off the bench, Ifan Phillips, Gareth Thomas and Tom Botha provide the cover alongside young Will Griffiths and Sam Cross, who will make his 50th appearance for the Ospreys if he comes onto the field.

In the backline, the homegrown talent and young pairing of Josh Thomas and last week’s try-scorer, Reuben Morgan-Williams, have the keys to the nine and 10 shirts.

An unchanged back three sees Luke Morgan, Mat Protheroe and Dan Evans retain their place in the starting line-up. In the centre, 18-year-old Pontardawe youngster Joe Hawkins will make his Ospreys debut, lining up alongside the experienced Scott Williams.

Harri Morgan is named on the bench alongside Gowerton’s Callum Carson and the returning Cai Evans.

The teams:

Zebre: 15 Junior Laloifi, 14 Pierre Bruno, 13 Giulio Bisegni, 12 Tommaso Boni (c), 11 Giovanni D’Onofrio, 10 Antonio Rizzi, 9 Joshua Renton, 8 Giovanni Licata, 7 Renato Giammarioli, 6 Lorenzo Masselli, 5 Ian Nagle, 4 Samuele Ortis, 3 Eduardo Bello, 2 Marco Manfredi, 1 Paolo Buonfiglio
Replacements: 16 Oliviero Fabiani, 17 Andrea Lovotti, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 Leonard Krumov, 20 Antoine Koffi, 21 Nicolò Casilio, 22 Paolo Pescetto, 23 Michelangelo Biondelli

Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Mat Protheroe, 13 Scott Williams, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Josh Thomas, 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 8 James King, 7 Dan Lydiate (c), 6 Olly Cracknell, 5 Bradley Davies, 4 Adam Beard, 3 Ma’afu Fia, 2 Dewi Lake, 1 Rhodri Jones
Replacements: 16 Ifan Phillips, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Tom Botha, 19 Will Griffiths, 20 Sam Cross, 21 Harri Morgan, 22 Cai Evans, 23 Callum Carson

Venue: Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi
Kick-off: 20:15 local (19:15 GMT)
Referee: Frank Murphy
Assistant referees: Gianluca Gnecchi, Riccardo Angelucci
Television match official: Stefano Penne

Glasgow Warriors v Leinster

Glasgow Warriors head coach Danny Wilson has made four alterations to his starting XV ahead of Monday’s clash with Leinster at Scotstoun.

The home side are aided by the release of a host of players from Scotland camp, as Glasgow look to inflict a first PRO14 defeat on their opponents in 23 matches.

Grant Stewart will make his first start of the season after coming off the replacements bench against the Ospreys, the hooker packing down between Aki Seiuli and D’arcy Rae in the front-row.

After impressing on his debut at the Liberty Stadium, Hamish Bain is retained in the second-row, with Rob Harley partnering the former Stade Nicois man after returning from Scotland duty.

The back-row is unchanged from the one that took to the field in Swansea last weekend, as captain Ryan Wilson and Tom Gordon line up either side of number eight TJ Ioane.

It’s a familiar combination that will start together in the half-backs, with Pete Horne lining up outside brother George for the visit of the defending champions.

Sam Johnson and Nick Grigg are once again paired together in the midfield, both men having crossed for memorable scores against the Irish province in previous encounters.

There’s a first start of the season on the wing for Niko Matawalu, as the Fijian joins Tommy Seymour and Huw Jones in the back three.

George Turner rotates to the replacements bench after his try-scoring outing in Swansea last week, with the Scotland hooker joining Alex Allan and Enrique Pieretto as the front-row cover.

Chris Fusaro and Fotu Lokotui each retain their places in the matchday 23, both men having come off the bench last time out.

Jamie Dobie wears the 21 jersey, whilst Brandon Thomson is once again in line for his first appearance of the season after being named amongst the replacements.

The bench is completed by Ratu Tagive, as the winger returns to Scotstoun having been called into the Scotland squad earlier this week.

Meanwhile, Leinster head coach Leo Cullen has named his team as the Irish province look to retain their unbeaten record.

Rhys Ruddock will captain the side for the second week in a row and he starts at number eight. Jimmy O’Brien is again selected at full-back as is Dave Kearney on the left wing but Cian Kelleher has shaken off a hamstring complaint to make his first start of the campaign on the right wing.

In the centre Tommy O’Brien moves from the right wing where he scored two tries last weekend to the number 12 jersey where he will be joined by Rory O’Loughlin. O’Loughlin hasn’t featured this season and is back after a minor calf injury.

Luke McGrath and Harry Byrne continue at half-back.

In the pack, Peter Dooley and Michael Bent continue at prop but there is a change at hooker with James Tracy coming in from the start this week.

It’s the same duo in the second-row with Ross Molony and Devin Toner again named by Cullen. In the back-row, it’s again as you were, with Josh Murphy, Scott Penny and Ruddock starting.

David Hawkshaw is again this week named on the bench and is in line to make his debut.

Hawkshaw was named on the bench for the Zebre game last weekend but was withdrawn on matchday with a minor adductor strain picked up during the Captain’s Run but he has recovered to again take his place on the Leinster bench.

Dan Leavy is again selected in the matchday squad having come through his own return from a knee injury last weekend.

The teams:

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Huw Jones, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Nick Grigg, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Niko Matawalu, 10 Pete Horne, 9 George Horne, 8 TJ Ioane, 7 Tom Gordon, 6 Ryan Wilson (c), 5 Hamish Bain, 4 Rob Harley, 3 D’arcy Rae, 2 Grant Stewart, 1 Aki Seiuli
Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Alex Allan, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Chris Fusaro, 20 Fotu Lokotui, 21 Jamie Dobie, 22 Brandon Thomson, 23 Ratu Tagive

Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Cian Kelleher, 13 Rory O’Loughlin, 12 Tommy O’Brien, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Luke McGrath, 8 Rhys Ruddock (c), 7 Scott Penny, 6 Josh Murphy, 5 Devin Toner, 4 Ross Molony, 3 Michael Bent, 2 James Tracy, 1 Peter Dooley
Replacements: 16 Dan Sheehan, 17 Michael Milne, 18 Tom Clarkson, 19 Jack Dunne, 20 Scott Fardy, 21 Hugh O’Sullivan, 22 David Hawkshaw, 23 Dan Leavy

Venue: Scotstoun Stadium
Kick-off: 20:15 GMT
Referee: Ben Whitehouse
Assistant referees: Finlay Brown, Dunx McClement
Television match official: Andrew McMenemy

 

Cardiff Rugby