Pro12: Irish Derby
Bragging rights are up for grabs in the Irish derby clash between second-placed Ulster and third-placed Munster at Thomond Park on Frday night.
Munster have well and truly recovered from their early-season blip after a six-game winning streak in all tournaments, while Ulster themselves have only lost in the Pro12 once, to Zebre in Round Four.
And if their last encounter at Thomond Park is anything to go by, a 19-17 victory for the Ulstermen in the final game of last year's regular season, this match will be similarly nip-and-tuck.
As for reigning champions Leinster, they will welcome an Ospreys side that are licking their wounds after losing their unbeaten Pro12 record to Ulster in Round Eight.
Steve Tandy's men could not have asked for a tougher game in which to bounce back, Leinster's recent win record at the RDS stands at 17 games and counting in all competitions.
With Dan Biggar still on Wales duty, Ospreys are not able to rely on his eagle eye, having slotted a league-leading 26 of 28 attempted kicks this season.
And Munster's own flyhalf, Ian Keatley, needs just one more point to bring up his 1,000th in the competition.
Ireland are not the only nation revelling in a successful autumn as Scotland's troops return home to the Pro12 with two victories and knowing they took the All Blacks down to the wire.
They will provide much-needed reinforcement for Gregor Townsend's Glasgow Warriors, who saw an 18-strong contingent join up with Scotland, ahead of Sunday's meeting with Newport Gwent Dragons.
The Warriors have already beaten the Dragons at Rodney Parade this year, while the Welsh region are searching for their second win of the season.
Elsewhere, Cardiff Blues will be hoping for more joy against Italian opposition in Benetton Treviso, after recording their last win against Zebre in in the first round, while Scarlets will be looking for their sixth consecutive win over Connacht.
An injury-hit, but improving Edinburgh travel to Zebre, but Alan Solomons' men are in danger of falling to their third straight defeat against Italian opponents.
As far as the try-scoring charts go, the race is wide open heading into Round Nine, with first-placed Rhys Webb (5) still absent with Wales. Ospreys teammate Jeff Hassler (4) will unfortunately lose ground after picking up an injury with Canada, though the returning Simon Zebo (4) is knocking on the door.
We look at all the Round Nine matches!
Friday, November 28
Munster v Ulster
(Thomond Park – Kick-off:: 19.35; 19.35 GMT)
The teams:
Munster: 15 JJ Hanrahan, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Pat Howard, 12 Denis Hurley, 11 Ronan O'Mahony, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Duncan Williams, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Paddy Butler, 6 Robin Copeland, 5 Billy Holland; 4 Donncha O'Callaghan (captain), 3 BJ Botha, 2 Duncan Casey, 1 John Ryan.
Replacements: 16 Kevin O'Byrne, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Stephen Archer, 19 Tommy O'Donnell, 20 Sean Dougall, 21 Neil Cronin, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Felix Jones.
Ulster: 15 Stuart Olding, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 Darren Cave, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Ian Humphreys, 9 Paul Marshall, 8 Nick Williams; 7 Sean Reidy, 6 Roger Wilson, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Alan O'Connor, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Declan Fitzpatrick, 19 Lewis Stevenson, 20 Robbie Diack, 21 Michael Heaney, 22 Michael Allen, 23 Peter Nelson.
Referee: Ian Davies
Assistant referees: Gary Conway, Paul Haycock
TMO: Kevin Beggs
Cardiff v Treviso
(Cardiff Arms Park – Kick-off: 19.35; 19.35 GMT)
The teams:
Cardiff Blues: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Richard Smith, 13 Adam Thomas, 12 Gavin Evans, 11 Geraint Walsh, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Josh Navidi, 7 Ellis Jenkins, 6 Macauley Cook, 5 Josh Turnbull, 5 Josh Turnbull, 4 Filo Paulo, 3 Adam Jones (captain), 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Sam Hobbs.
Replacements: 16 Rhys Williams, 17 Thomas Davies, 18 Craig Mitchell, 19 Miles Normandale, 20 Rory Watts-Jones, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Tom Isaacs.
Treviso: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Enrico Bacchin, 12 Sam Christie, 11 Ludovico Nitoglia, 10 Joe Carlisle, 9 Alberto Lucchese, 8 Dean Budd, 7 Meyer Swanepoel, 6 Marco Barbini, 5 Corniel Van Zyl (captain), 4 Tomas Vallejos, 3 Rupert Harden, 2 Davide Giazzon, 1 Matteo Zanusso.
Replacements: 16 Amar Kudin, 17 Matteo Muccignat, 18 Romulo Acosta, 19 Marco Fuser, 20 Antonio Pavanello, 21 Francesco Minto, 22 Andrea Pratichetti, 23 James Ambrosini.
Referee: Andrew McMenemy
Assistant referees: Neil Hennessy, Rhys Thomas
TMO: Gareth Simmonds
Saturday, November 29
Zebre v Edinburgh
(Stadio XXV Aprile – Kick-off: 16.00; 16.00 GMT)
The teams:
Zebre: 15 Hendrik Daniller, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Giulio Bisegni, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Giulio Toniolatti, 10 Kelly Haimona, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Samuela Vunisa, 7 Filippo Cristiano, 6 Valerio Bernabò, 5 Marco Bortolami (captain), 4 George Biagi, 3 Dario Chistolini, 2 Andrea Manici, 1 Andrea Lovotti.
Replacements: 16 Oliviero Fabiani, 17 Andrea De Marchi, 18 Lorenzo Romano, 19 Quintin Geldenhuys, 20 Andries Van Schalkwyk, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Luciano Orquera, 23 Michele Visentin.
Edinburgh: 15 Nick McLennan, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Tom Heathcote, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 David Denton, 7 Roddy Grant, 6 Mike Coman (captain), 5 Ben Toolis, 4 Ollie Atkins, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Rory Sutherland.
Replacements: 16 James Hilterbrand, 17 Grant Shiells, 18 John Andress, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Tomas Leonardi, 21 Grayson Hart, 22 Greig Tonks, 23 Sam Beard.
Referee: David Wilkinson
Assistant referees: Elia Rizzo, Stefano Roscini
TMO: Stefano Pennè
Leinster v Ospreys
(RDS Arena – Kick-off: 17.15; 17.15 GMT)
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Darragh Fanning, 13 Fergus McFadden, 12 Ian Madigan, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Eoin Reddan (captain), 8 Jack Conan, 7 Jordi Murphy, 6 Dominic Ryan, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Mike McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Bryan Byrne, 1 Michael Bent.
Replacements: 16 James Tracy, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Jamie Hagan, 19 Tom Denton, 20 Rhys Ruddock, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Noel Reid.
Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Aisea Natoga, 13 Andrew Bishop, 12 Hanno Dirksen, 11 Tom Grabham, 10 Sam Davies, 9 Martin Roberts, 8 Dan Baker, 7 Sam Lewis, 6 Joe Bearman, 5 Tyler Ardron, 4 Lloyd Peers (captain), 3 Dmitri Arhip, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Marc Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Scott Otten, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Cai Griffiths, 19 Rynier Bernardo, 20 Ieuan Jones, 21 Tom Habberfield, 22 Josh Matavesi, 23 Dafydd Howells.
Referee: Marius Mitrea
Assistant referees: Mark Patton, Stuart Gaffikin
TMO: Alan Rogan
Connacht v Scarlets
(Sportsground – Kick-off: 19.30; 19.30 GMT)
The teams:
Connacht: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Bundee Aki, 12 Dave McSharry, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9.Kieran Marmion, 8 George Naoupu, 7 Eoin McKeon, 6 John Muldoon (captain), 5 Andrew Browne, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Mick Kearney, 20 Willie Faloon, 21 John Cooney, 22 Craig Ronaldson, 23 Darragh Leader.
Scarlets: 15 Steffan Evans, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Michael Tagicakibau, 12 Regan King, 11 Kristian Phillips, 10 Steven Shingler, 9 Aled Davies, 8 John Barclay (captain), 7 James Davies, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Johan Snyman, 4 George Earle, 3 Peter Edwards, 2 Kirby Myhill, 1 Phil John.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lewis Rawlins, 20 Rory Pitman, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Josh Lewis, 23 Gareth Owen.
Referee: Leighton Hodges
Assistant referees: Nigel Correll, Brian MacNeice
TMO: Seamus Flannery
Sunday, November 30
Glasgow Warriors v Dragons
(Scotstoun Stadium – Kick-off: 16.00; 16.00 GMT)
The teams:
Glasgow: 15 Peter Murchie, 14 Lee Jones, 13 Sean Lamont, 12 Peter Horne, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Niko Matawalu, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 Chris Fusaro, 6 Leone Nakarawa, 5 Al Kellock (captain), 4 Tim Swinson, 3 Jon Welsh, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Ryan Grant.
Replacements: 16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Josh Strauss, 20 Tyrone Holmes, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Connor Braid, 23 Richie Vernon.
Dragons: 15 Geraint Rhys Jones, 14 Tom Prydie, 13 Ross Wardle, 12 Ashley Smith, 11 Matthew Pewtner, 10 Dorian Jones, 9 Richie Rees, 8 Lewis Evans, 7 Nic Cudd, 6 James Thomas, 5 Rynard Landman (captain), 4 Cory Hill, 3 Dan Way, 2 Elliot Dee, 1 Brok Harris.
Replacements: 16 T. Rhys Thomas, 17 Phil Price, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Andrew Coombs, 20 James Benjamin, 21 Jonathan Evans, 22 Jason Tovey, 23 Hallam Amos.
Referee: Dudley Phillips
Assistant referees: Lloyd Linton, Andrew McMenemy
TMO: Jim Yuille
