Ulster v Castres
When: Tonight, 8.0pm
Where can I watch? Sky Sports 3.
The story so far: Ulster are flying so far this season. They currently top the RaboDirect Pro12 with five wins from five, having played one game fewer than their nearest rivals as their trip to Zebre was postponed after the tragic death of Nevin Spence.
Castres, as ever, are ticking along nicely in the Top 14. They have won four, drawn one and lost three games this season with the defeats coming away to fellow Heineken Cup competitors Toulon, Montpelier and Toulouse. Their drawn game was also on the road – a gritty 20-20 finish against Stade Francais in Paris.
Team news: The visitors have made nine changes from the side which beat Clermont at home seven days ago. Among those drafted in, is the familiar face of Pedrie Wannenburg who scored the decisive try for Ulster in last season’s Heineken Cup semi-final.
Castres coach, Laurent Labit, has retained both first-choice props for the trip, along with second row Rodrigo Capo Ortega, open side Yannick Caballero and backs; Marc Andreu and Daniel Kirkpatrick.
Ulster coach Mark Ancombe has been forced to switch Stephen Ferris into the unfamiliar number eight jersey in the absence of Nick Williams, ruled out after suffering a rib injury last week. Ferris’ place on the blindside will be taken by his heir apparent Iain Henderson. Ruan Pienaar is back from international duty with the Springboks, but after a season almost devoid of rest he is placed on the bench.
Ulster: J Payne; T Bowe, D Cave, P Wallace, A Trimble; P Jackson, P Marshall; T Court, R Best, J Afoa, J Muller (c), D Tuohy, I Henderson, C Henry, S Ferris.Replacements: R Herring, C Black, A Macklin, L Stevenson, M McComish, R Pienaar, L Marshall, C Gilroy.
Castres: R Teulet; M Garvey, S Bai, D Kirkpatrick, M Andreu; P Bernard, T Lecrampe; Y Forestier, M Bonello, M Coetzee; M Rolland (c), R Capo Ortega; P Faasalele, Y Caballero, P Wannenberg.
Replacements: M Rallier, G Marmoiton, H Lazar, J Tekori, A Claassen, R Kockott, P Bonnefond, T Sanchou.
Racing Metro v Munster
When: Saturday 1.45pm
Where can I watch? Sky Sports 1.
The story so far: It has been a mixed start to the season for Munster. While they have impressed in playing the new expansive style advocated by Rob Penney, they have come up dreadfully short in their big games thus far. The three defeats all came away from home: a narrow reversal to Ulster coming before being outclassed by trophy winners Ospreys and Leinster.
Racing currently reside smack, bang in the middle of the Top 14 with four wins and four defeats, the last of which came at home to Montpelier last Saturday, so there is hope for Munster here…
Team news: Until, that is, you look at the home team’s front row where the is room for international class only.
Andrea lo Cicero is brought in as one of five changes from last week’s defeat. Out-half Ollie Barkley is also promoted into the starting XV.
Munster confirmed this week that they would have to go to Paris without the services of Keith Earls and Wian du Preez. Donncha O’Callaghan also failed to recover from a hamstring injury, but (and it’s a very big BUT) Paul O’Connell is back in harness.
All of that coming and going means a reshuffle in the pack and the backline. Up front, The Big Dog has displaced Donnacha Ryan, who switches to blindside flanker to provide some extra power in the back row. Ahead of O’Connell and Billy Holland in the second row, there is another switch at hooker where Damien Varley has regained his place ahead of Mike Sherry.
Behind the scrum, Earls’ loss has been James Downey’s gain in midfield. And Penney has moved to sate Ian Keatley’s lust for a starting jersey by putting him at fullback, from there he will hope to inject another dimension to the Munster attack.
Racing Metro: B Fall; J Jane, M Bergamasco, F Estebanez, J Saubade; O Barkley, M Machenaud: A lo Cicero, D Szarzewski, L Ducalcon; K Ghezal, F van der Merwe; A Battut, J Cronjes (c), M Matadigo.Replacements: T Bianchin, E Ben Arous, B Sa, F Metz, B la Roux, C Gerondeau, S Descons, V Vakatawa.
Munster: I Keatley; D Howlett (c), C Laulala, J Downey, S Zebo; R O’Gara, C Murray. D Kilcoyne, D Varley, BJ Botha; B Holland, P O’Connell; D Ryan, S Dougall, P O’Mahony.
Replacements: M Sherry, M Horan, S Archer, D O’Callaghan, P Butler, P Stringer, D Barnes, D Hurley.
©INPHO/James Crombie
Zebre v Connacht
When: Saturday 1.45pm
Where can I watch? Sky Sports, but it will be behind the red button.
The story so far: The home side have made the most inauspicious of starts to their existence. Five defeats in five games have been adorned by only a single losing bonus point. They currently sit eight points adrift at the foot of the Pro12 table.
The bonus point win over Leinster has undoubtedly been the highlight of Connacht’s six games so far. However, they were quickly brought down to earth with the news that Eric Elwood would step down at the end of this season. Seven days after running in five tries against the European champions, Connacht could not manage a single point on the road to Ulster.
Team news: Captain Gavin Duffy’s continued absence through injury means new signing Nathan White will lead the western province into their second Heineken Cup campaign. Duffy’s place at fullback is again filled by Rob Henshaw. Elwood has opted to blood some promising young talents in Parma. Kieran Marmion is chosen to partner wily old Dan Parks and Denis Buckley (tipped for big things) will start at loose head after impressing against Leinster and Ulster in recent weeks.
Zebre: D Halangahu; G Venditti, M Pratichetti, G Garcia (c), S Sinoti; L Orquera, T Tebaldi: S Perugini, D Glazzon, L Redolfini; Q Geldenhuys, J Sole; N Belardo, M Bergamasco, D van Schalkwyk.Replacements: C Festuccia, M Aguero, C Fazzari, M van Vuren, F Ferrarini, L Martinelli, R Trevisan, L Sarto.
Connacht: R Henshaw; T O’Halloran, E Griffin, D McSharry, F Vainikolo; D Parks, K Marmion: D Buckley, E Reynecke, N White (c); M Swift, M McCarthy; J Muldoon, W Faloon, G Naoupu.
Replacements: A Flavin, R Ah You, R Loughney, D Gannon, J O’Connor, D Moore, M Nikora, M Fifita.
Leinster v Exeter Chiefs
When: Saturday, 3.40pm
Where can I watch? Sky Sports 1.
The story so far: As you may already be aware, the reigning champions of Europe have not had it all their own way this season. A spate of first team injuries depleted their resources in the early season fixtures and they needed some heavy soul-searching after shipping six tries in Llanelli and five in Connacht. Since then though, things have been looking up. The win over Munster, the easing of the injuries arising from that game and a home tie to open their defence of the big cup.
Team news: Despite being reduced to the bare bones by the 70th minute of last Saturday’s win over Munster, Joe Schmidt has been able to named an unchanged backline this afternoon. The pack includes two changes, but only because of front-liners Cian Healy and Leo Cullen have returned to full fitness.
Neither Rob Kearney or Gordon D’Arcy have proved their fitness, but Isaac Boss (unavailable since hyper-extending his elbow in the opening night defeat against Scarlets) is one of just two backs on the bench as Joe Schmidt includes extra back-row cover in the formidable shape of Leo Auva’a.
Leinster: I Madigan; A Conway, B O’Driscoll, F McFadden, I Nacewa; J Sexton, E Reddan: C Healy, R Strauss, M Ross; L Cullen (c), D Browne; K McLaughlin, S Jennings, J Heaslip.Replacements: S Cronin, H van der Merwe, J Hagan, D Toner, L Auva’a, J Murphy, I Boss, F Carr.
Exeter Chiefs: L Arscott, I Whitten, P Dollman, J Shoemark, M Jess; G Steenson, H Thomas: B Sturgess, S Alcott, C Rimmer; T Hayes (c), J Hanks; T Johnson, J Scaysbrook, R Baxter.
Replacements: C Whitehead, C Budgen, B Moon, A Muldowney, D Mumm, W Chudley, I Mieres, S Naqelevuki.
