Preview: Magners League, Round 11
With unsafe stadium conditions forcing all of Friday night’s matches to be cancelled, we had just two Magners League encounters remaining on the schedule for us to look forward to this coming weekend – one on Saturday and one on Sunday. One of those matches, however, was also called off at the 11th hour.
The mouth-watering Leinster-Glasgow encounter at the RDS – set to take place on Friday night – was postponed in the afternoon, before Saturday and Sunday’s games were also cancelled, mainly thanks to overnight temperature.
The Warriors are currently two points clear at the top of the Magners League table and have enjoyed two very good weeks, securing back-to-back wins over their Scottish rivals Edinburgh.
The latter, of course, will be one of only two teams in action this weekend when they entertain the Cardiff Blues at Murrayfield on Saturday evening.
Friday, January 8:
Connacht v Dragons
Galway Sportsground (18:30 GMT, 18:30 local)
Match postponed.
Ulster v Ospreys
Ravenhill, Belfast (19:05 GMT, 19:05 local)
Match postponed.
Leinster v Glasgow
Royal Dublin Society, Dublin (20:00 GMT, 20:00 local)
Latest news: Match postponed!
Saturday, January 9:
Edinburgh v Cardiff Blues
Murrayfield, Edinburgh (18:30 GMT, 18:30 local)
Edinburgh have lost three of their last four games in the Magners League, but the Blues have lost all four away encounters in the Magners League this season and have not won at Murrayfield since recording a 20-0 win on March 28, 2008.
Ceri Sweeney starts at flyhalf having looked lively when he came on against the Dragons and the Ospreys during the festive period, whilst Leigh Halfpenny, who needs game time under his belt, gets a run out at fullback.
Speaking ahead of the match, Cardiff Blues Director of Rugby David Young said: “We haven’t really taken off this season and haven’t really put in an 80 minutes performance together.
“I’m confident that when we can get some continuity in our selection and get somewhere near our best team out on the field we will start to play the way we can.”
Edinburgh come into the match off the back of two disappointing derby defeats to Glasgow but, at home, will be looking to secure a vital win over the Blues.
Young prop Kyle Traynor will start on the bench alongside centre Nick De Luca for the home side, whilst John Houston partners Ben Cairns in the Gunners’ midfield.
rugby365.com Prediction: The home team edge this one… but only just – by three points.
Sunday, January 10:
Munster v Scarlets
Musgrave Park, Cork (17:00 GMT, 17:00 local)
Latest news: Match postponed.
