URC Round Three - teams and predictions

PREVIEW: In the first of two United Rugby Championship Round Three games taking place on Friday, Scarlets host Connacht while Cardiff plays at home against the title holders Glasgow Warriors.

Scarlets’ 15-24 home defeat to Cardiff last weekend followed an opening weekend 20-20 draw in Benetton. However, their only victory at Parc y Scarlets since last November was against Benetton in March.

They have not beaten an Irish province in Llanelli in March 2021.

Scarlets lock Sam Lousi will make his first appearance of the season after recovering from a hamstring problem and goes straight into the side alongside full-back Ioan Nicholas who has also returned from injury.

The pair are among four personnel changes from the team that lost to Cardiff with centre Eddie James and flank Dan Davis also starting.

James is named in the Scarlets midfield alongside Johnny Williams with Macs Page among the replacements.

Connacht has called up Ireland centre Bundee Aki and fly-half Jack Carty for their first starts of the season.

Aki’s inclusion has seen Cathal Forde move from inside to outside centre with Piers O’Conor switched to wing.

Carty takes over from the injured Josh Ioane while prop Temi Lasisi is set for his debut off the bench, where Shayne Bolton also returns.

Connacht ended a four-game league losing run with their 36-30 win over Sharks in Galway last Saturday.

He’s back 💪#ConnachtRugby pic.twitter.com/rHOkbVxdrc

— Connacht Rugby (@connachtrugby) October 3, 2024

They have a good record against Welsh opponents having won their last 10 fixtures and their last three encounters with Scarlets.

“We know Connacht’s DNA is to play with good structure, good shape, and with ball in hand,” said Scarlets head coach Dwayne Peel.

“They have power up front and are difficult to break down.

“It was an entertaining game in Galway last season and I’m expecting the same between two highly competitive sides.”

Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins said: “In Bundee and Jack we have two senior players coming into the starting line-up with a wealth of experience and quality.

“It says a lot about the strength of the squad this year that we’re able to bring in players of that calibre.

“We will need to perform at our best to get a result and everyone is looking forward to the challenge.”

*Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt made one change as they host reigning champions Glasgow Warriors at the Arms Park.

Cardiff is currently two from two in the URC following maximum point returns against Zebre Parma and Scarlets.

But they face a stern test against Franco Smith’s charges who clinched the 2023-24 title in South Africa four months ago.

Harri Millard is the only new face in the starting XV, joining Mason Grady and Cam Winnett in an exciting back-three.

Ben Thomas and Rey Lee-Lo continue their partnership in midfield, while Aled Davies and Callum Sheedy remain as the halfback pairing.

Hooker Liam Belcher leads the team and he will have the two Wales internationals Corey Domachowski and Kieron Assiratti on either side of him.

Sherratt said: “We were pleased with our performance against the Scarlets and I think we set a good foundation. Our collisions were a lot better, we were stronger defensively and there was a real intent.

“It was a performance more like Cardiff but as I have previously said it’s going to take a bit of time and hopefully we can make improvements week on week. It’s going to be another step up this weekend.

“Glasgow has always been a very good team. The biggest compliment I can probably pay them is that they’ve got a really clear identity. That’s a massive compliment to Franco and his coaching staff because their players are very clear on their DNA, very clear on their game plan.

“So we know what to expect and it’s about meeting that challenge. We are expecting another big crowd at the Arms Park and we have had some great nights under the lights in recent years.”

Two of Glasgow Warriors’ Final-winning starting lineup will make their first appearances of the 2024/25 campaign after Jack Dempsey and Huw Jones were both named in the starting XV to take on Cardiff.

The pair are two of nine changes to the starting lineup for the club’s first visit to the Cardiff Arms Park since 2022, whilst summer signing Patrick Schickerling could make his competitive debut for Glasgow Warriors after being selected amongst the replacements for tomorrow night’s clash.

Another of Glasgow’s summer arrivals will make his first start for Franco Smith’s side in the front row tomorrow night, as Rory Sutherland – who made his debut off the bench against Benetton last time out – joins Johnny Matthews and Sam Talakai at the coal face.

Alex Samuel comes into the starting lineup for the first time in 2024/25, partnering Scott Cummings in the engine room after the latter’s return from injury last weekend.

Dempsey’s return to action sees Matt Fagerson shift to the openside to accommodate his Scotland team-mate, with another Scotland international completing the back-row in the form of Gregor Brown.

Debut last weekend ⚫️
First start this weekend 💪

Suzz is a Warrior 👊#WhateverItTakes ⚔️🛡️ pic.twitter.com/u62pOebyVj

— Glasgow Warriors (@GlasgowWarriors) October 3, 2024

“We were pleased to record our first win of the season last weekend, but we know that there are still plenty of areas in which we can improve,” said Smith ahead of this clash.

“Cardiff have recruited well during the summer and have started the season strongly, a start they will be keen to continue in front of their home support.

“We also look forward to seeing Patrick pull on the Glasgow jersey for the first time this weekend – he has quickly bought into our environment and has trained well to earn his opportunity.”

* All the Round Two teams and predictions follow below …

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4

Scarlets v Connacht
(Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli – Kick-off: 19.35; 18.35 GMT)

Prediction:
@rugby365: Connacht by seven points

Teams:

Scarlets: 15 Ioan Nicholas; 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Johnny Williams, 12 Eddie James, 11 Blair Murray; 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies; 8 Taine Plumtree, 7 Dan Davis, 6 Josh Macleod (captain), 5 Max Douglas, 4 Sam Lousi,3 Henry Thomas, 2 Ryan Elias, 1 Alec Hepburn
Replacements: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Kemsley Mathias, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Carwyn Tuipulotu, 21 Efan Jones, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Macs Page

Connacht: 15 Santiago Cordero, 14 Mack Hansen, 13 Cathal Forde, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Piers O’Conor, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Ben Murphy, 8 Cian Prendergast (captain), 7 Conor Oliver, 6 Josh Murphy, 5 David O’Connor, 4 Niall Murray, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dave Heffernan, 1 Denis Buckley
Replacements: 16 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17 Peter Dooley,18 Temi Lasisi, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Paul Boyle, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 David Hawkshaw, 23 Shayne Bolton

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Mike English & Ben Connor (Wales)
TMO: Christopher Allison (South Africa)

Cardiff v Glasgow Warriors
(Arms Park, Cardiff – Kick-off: 19.35; 18.35 GMT)

Prediction:
@rugby365: Glasgow Warriors by three points

Teams:
Cardiff: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Mason Grady, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Ben Thomas, 11 Harri Millard, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Alun Lawrence, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Ben Donnell, 5 Teddy Williams, 4 Josh McNally, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Liam Belcher (capt), 1 Corey Domachowski
Replacements: 16 Evan Lloyd, 17 Ed Byrne, 18 Rhys Litterick, 19 Rory Thornton, 20 Mackenzie Martin, 21 Ellis Bevan, 22 Tinus de Beer, 23 Gabriel Hamer-Webb.

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Josh McKay, 14 Kyle Rowe, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuiplulotu (captain), 11 Facundo Cordero, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 Jamie Dobie, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Matt Fagerson, 6 Gregor Brown, 4 Alex Samuel, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Johnny Matthews, 1 Rory Sutherland
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Patrick Schickerling, 19 Richie Gray, 20 Max Williamson, 21 Euan Ferrie,22 Ben Afshar, 23 Duncan Weir

Referee: Morne Ferreira (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rhys Jones (Wales), Gareth Newman (Wales)
TMO: Griffon Colby (South Africa)