URC, Round Nine - Teams and Predictions
MONDAY PREVIEW: Plenty of fireworks can be expected as the new year of rugby gets underway with double derby clashes in Ireland and Wales.
The first United Rugby Championship games of 2024 see Connacht host Munster, Ospreys take on Cardiff, Dragons welcome Scarlets and Leinster face Ulster.
Ospreys who lead the Welsh club pack in the URC, host a buoyant Cardiff team at Brewery Field in Bridgend. The visitors are riding high after putting Dragons to the sword on Boxing Day with a 55-21 win at Arms Park.
Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt was delighted with his side’s performance against the Dragons but expects an entirely different test at Brewery Field.
Ospreys have won five of their last seven fixtures against fellow Welsh regions.
“We were all pleased with the performance and result against the Dragons, it’s not often you race into that kind of first-half lead,” Sherratt said.
“You have to enjoy those moments but we’re also very aware that things really clicked for us on the day, while the Dragons endured the complete opposite.
“The Ospreys will also present a very different challenge. They are coming off a good win against the Scarlets and will be confident. We have to meet that challenge head-on and we have selected a team to do that, but we also have to be true to ourselves.”
Ospreys head coach Toby Booth conceded his side needs to be solid in defence if they want to be a threat during Monday’s URC clash.
“Cardiff are playing very well at the moment,” Booth said, adding: “They’ve put in some top performances in recent weeks.
“We need to be very sharp, especially from a defensive standpoint. They pose an attacking threat and they’re going to kick the ball a lot so it’s important we maintain things on our terms.”
At Rodney Parade the Dragons will be out to make it three home wins in a row when they host Scarlets.
The history books have these two sides evenly balanced with their last 10 encounters bringing five wins each, and the Scarlets having won two from three from their last visits to Newport.
Meanwhile, in the two big Irish interpros, Connacht are looking to stop their run of three straight defeats in the URC when they host Munster, while Monday’s showstopper sees Leinster battle Ulster.
Leinster is on top of the table, having won their last seven URC matches – only losing in the first round to Glasgow Warriors.
Ulster have won five, lost three in the URC this season.
It’s a daunting task for Ulster who have won just twice in twenty-one previous visits to the RDS Arena (22-18 in March 2013 and 20-10 in November 2021).
Speaking ahead of the game, Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde said Ulster will provide a stern test.
“We have got to be at our best,” McBryde said.
” It’s a simple as that. If you look at recent results, they have been close matches. Ulster have too many good players, not to be threatening. It’s no surprise how good they have done in recent weeks.”
Ulster assistant coach Dan Soper revealed that facing Leinster at home is a difficult task.
“The RDS [Arena in Dublin] is up there as one of the most difficult places to go, and you’ve got to have respect for Leinster and what they can do.
“We will be preparing well and looking to turn-up on Monday. It’s a really great challenge to get the year started.”
See below for Monday’s teams and predictions!
MONDAY, JANUARY 1
Connacht v Munster
(The Sportsground, Galway – Kick-off: 15.00; 15.00 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Munster by five points
Teams:
Connacht: 15 Mack Hansen, 14 Byron Ralston, 13 Cathal Forde, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Shayne Bolton, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Caolin Blade (captain), 8 Jarrad Butler, 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Joe Joyce, 4 Darragh Murray, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Peter Dooley
Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Denis Buckley, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Niall Murray, 20 Oisín Dowling, 21 Michael McDonald, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Conor Oliver
Munster: 15 Simon Zebo, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Antoine Frisch, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Shane Daly, 10 Tony Butler, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Tom Ahern, 5 Tadhg Beirne (captain), 4 Fineen Wycherley, 3 Oli Jager, 2 Eoghan Clarke, 1 Jeremy Loughman
Replacements: 16 Scott Buckley, 17 Josh Wycherley, 18 John Ryan, 19 Jack O’Donoghue, 20 Alex Kendellen, 21 Paddy Patterson, 22 Seán O’Brien, 23 Shay McCarthy
Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland) and Keane Davison (Ireland)
TMO: Mark Patton (Ireland)
Ospreys v Cardiff
(Brewery Field, Bridgend – Kick-off: 15.00; 15.00 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Ospreys by seven points
Teams:
Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Iestyn Hopkins, 13 George North, 12 Owen Watkin, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Luke Davies, 8 Morgan Morse, 7 Harri Deaves, 6 James Ratti, 5 Adam Beard (captain), 4 James Fender, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Sam Parry, 1 Gareth Thomas
Replacements: 16 Dewi Lake, 17 Garyn Phillips, 18 Rhys Henry, 19 Lewis Jones, 20 Tristan Davies, 21 Cameron Jones, 22 Dan Edwards, 23 Luke Morgan
Cardiff: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Owen Lane, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Willis Halaholo, 11 Mason Grady, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Lopeti Timani, 7 Ellis Jenkins, 6 James Botham, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Seb Davies, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Liam Belcher, 1 Corey Domachowski
Replacements: 16 Efan Daniel, 17 Rhys Carre, 18 Rhys Litterick, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 Josh Turnbull, 21 Mackenzie Martin, 22 Ellis Bevan, 23 Jacob Beetham
Referee: Adam Jones (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) and Ben Breakspear (Wales)
TMO: Sean Brickell (Wales)
Dragons v Scarlets
(Rodney Parade, Newport – Kick-off: 17.15; 17.15 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Scarlets by 10 points
Teams:
Dragons: 15 Cai Evans, 14 Jared Rosser, 13 Aneurin Owen, 12 Harri Ackerman, 11 Evan Rosser, 10 Will Reed, 9 Rhodri Williams (captain), 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 Harri Keddie, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 George Nott, 4 Sean Lonsdale, 3 Lloyd Fairbrother, 2 James Benjamin, 1 Rodrigo Martinez
Replacements: 16 Brodie Coghlan, 17 Rhodri Jones, 18 Leon Brown, 19 Joe Davies, 20 Ryan Woodman, 21 Ollie Griffiths, 22 Dane Blacker, 23 Corey Baldwin
Scarlets: 15 Ioan Lloyd, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Joe Roberts, 12 Johnny Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Vaea Fifita, 7 Josh Macleod (captain), 6 Sam Lousi, 5 Morgan Jones , 4 Alex Craig, 3 Sam Wainwright, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Kemsley Mathias
Replacements: 16 Shaun Evans, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Joe Jones, 19 Jac Price, 20 Ben Williams, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jonathan Davies, 23 Ioan Nicholas
Referee: Craig Evans (Wales)
Assistant Referees: Gareth Newman (Wales) and Dewi Philips (Wales)
TMO: Wayne Davies (Wales)
Leinster v Ulster
(RDS Arena, Dublin – Kick-off: 17.15; 17.15 GMT)
Prediction
@rugby365com: Leinster by eight points
Teams:
Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Liam Turner, 12 Robbie Henshaw, 11 Rob Russell, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Will Connors, 6 Ryan Baird, 5 James Ryan (captain), 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Cian Healy
Replacements: 16 Lee Barron, 17 Jack Boyle, 18 Michael Ala’alatoa, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Harry Byrne, 23 Josh van der Flier
Ulster: 15 Will Addison, 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 Luke Marshall, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Billy Burns, 9 John Cooney, 8 Nick Timoney, 7 Sean Reffell, 6 Matty Rea, 5 Iain Henderson, 4 Kieran Treadwell, 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Rob Herring, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Andy Warwick, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Alan O’Connor, 20 Dave Ewers, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Mike Lowry, 23 Jude Postlethwaite
Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland)
Assistant Referees: Eoghan Cross (Ireland) and Tomas O’Sullivan (Ireland)
TMO: Joy Neville (Ireland)
