Magners League: Round 10 Preview
Round 10 of the Magners League kicks off with four games on a busy Friday night, including three involving Irish provinces.
Friday will see Connacht welcoming Aironi Rugby to the Sportsground for the first time and in-form Ulster hosting the Newport Gwent Dragons at Ravenhill.
In Wales, the Scarlets face Leinster in Llanelli, and Glasgow Warriors will have home advantage when they take on Benetton Treviso.
If the Warriors want to repeat their success of last season and make the cut for the play-offs, they will want start stringing some wins together. Their opponents this weekend, Treviso, are one place above them in the table on points scoring difference.
Likewise, last season’s beaten grand finalists, Leinster. They currently lie sixth in the standings and are keen to end the calendar year back in the top-four. But a trip to the second-placed Scarlets looks a tricky task.
Connacht have slipped from top to almost the bottom of the table since the season started, and struggling Aironi are certain to give it their all in Galway as they look to end their losing streak in the league.
Having defeated leaders Munster last time out, the Newport Gwent Dragons will be aiming to continue their winning ways when they visit Ravenhill. However, Ulster have not dropped out of the play-off zone since round 2, and will prove to be tough opposition. Should other results go their way, Ulster could even rise to the top of the table.
On Saturday, the fifth-placed Ospreys welcome Edinburgh, the team in seventh spot, to the Liberty Stadium. Just one point separates these teams in the table, so a victory could see a dramatic swing in each side’s fortunes.
The round wraps up in Limerick, also on Saturday, when Munster host the Cardiff Blues at Thomond Park. Defeat last time out may not have knocked Munster off the summit, where they have resided since round 2, but it has brought them back to within striking distance of the teams below them.
Just four points separate the top four teams, a position the home side will surely want to rectify with a victory in this encounter.
MAGNERS LEAGUE – ROUND 10 FIXTURES:
Friday, December 3 –
CONNACHT v Aironi Rugby, the Sportsground, 7pm
Scarlets v LEINSTER, Parc y Scarlets, 7.05pm (RTÉ Two/BBC Wales)
ULSTER v Newport Gwent Dragons, Ravenhill, 7.05pm (BBC Two Northern Ireland)
Glasgow Warriors v Benetton Treviso, Firhill Stadium, 7.30pm
Saturday, December 4 –
Ospreys v Edinburgh, Liberty Stadium, 6.30pm (live S4C/BBC ALBA)
MUNSTER v Cardiff Blues, Thomond Park, 7.30pm (live TG4)