The United Rugby Championship (URC) season gets back underway on Friday with two games before there’s another six on Saturday.
Here’s the team news, match officials and how to watch the action.
Friday
Ulster v Benetton
Prediction: Ulster by 6
Ulster: 15 Jacob Stockdale, 14 Rob Baloucoune, 13 James Hume, 12 Jude Postlethwaite, 11 Werner Kok, 10 Jack Murphy, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 David McCann, 5 Iain Henderson, 4 Harry Sheridan, 3 Scott Wilson, 2 Tom Stewart, 1 Sam Crean
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Callum Reid, 18 Tom O’Toole, 19 Matthew Dalton, 20 Bryn Ward, 21 David Shanahan, 22 Jake Flannery, 23 Stewart Moore
Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Onisi Ratave, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Filippo Drago, 11 Ignacio Mendy, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Andy Uren, 8 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Jadin Kingi, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Federico Ruzza, 3 Giosué Zilocchi, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 1 Destiny Aminu
Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Marcos Gallorini, 19 Giulio Marini, 20 Alessandro Izekor, 21 John Bryant, 22 Louis Werchon, 23 Leonardo Marin
Venue: Affidea Stadium, Belfast
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA / 21.45 SA
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU, 56th league game)
Assistant Referees: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU), Max Weston (IRFU)
TMO: David Sutherland (SRU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Dragons v Leinster
Prediction: Leinster by 18
Dragons: 15 Angus O’Brien (c), 14 Cai Evans, 13 David Richards, 12 Aneurin Owen, 11 Huw Anderson, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Rhodri Williams, 8 Mackenzie Martin, 7 Thomas Young, 6 Ryan Woodman, 5 Matthew Screech, 4 Seb Davies, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Oli Burrows, 1 Dylan Kelleher-Griffiths
Replacements: 16 Will Austin, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Owain James, 19 Levi Douglas, 20 Shane Lewis-Hughes, 21 Niall Armstrong, 22 Joe Westwood, 23 Ewan Rosser
Leinster: 15 Jimmy O’Brien, 14 Joshua Kenny, 13 Hugh Cooney, 12 Ciarán Frawley, 11 Jordan Larmour, 10 Harry Byrne, 9 Fintan Gunne, 8 Max Deegan (c), 7 Scott Penny, 6 Alex Soroka, 5 Diarmuid Mangan, 4 Brian Deeny, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Gus McCarthy, 1 Jack Boyle
Replacements: 16 John McKee, 17 Jerry Cahir, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Josh Ericson, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Charlie Tector, 23 Ruben Moloney
Venue: Rodney Parade, Newport
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA / 21.45 SA
Referee: Morne Ferreira (SARU, 19th league game)
Assistant Referees: Craig Evans (WRU), Lucas Yendle (WRU)
TMO: Chris Allison (SARU)
Live on: Premier Sports, TG4, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Saturday
Bulls v Lions
Prediction: TBC
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 David Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Keagan Johannes, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 JJ Theron, 7 Reinhardt Ludwig (c), 6 Jeandre Rudolph, 5 JF van Heerden, 4 Jaco Grobbelaar, 3 Francois Klopper, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Alu Tshakweni
Replacements: 16 Jean Else, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Paul de Wet, 22 Stedman Gans, 23 Cheswill Jooste
Lions:
Venue: Loftus Versfeld Stadium, Pretoria
Kick-off: 12.00 IRE & UK / 13.00 ITA / 14.00 SA
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU, 12th league game)
Assistant Referees: Griffin Colby (SARU), Sean Muller (SARU)
TMO: Quinton Immelman (SARU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Zebre Parma v Cardiff
Prediction: TBC
Zebre Parma:
Cardiff:
Venue: Stadio Lanfranchi, Parma
Kick-off: 13.00 IRE & UK / 14.00 ITA / 15.00 SA
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU, 27th league game)
Assistant Referees: Russo Filippo (FIR), Riccardo Angelucci (FIR)
TMO: Colin Brett (SRU)
Live on: Sky Italia, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Munster v Stormers
Prediction: TBC
Munster: 15 Shane Daly, 14 Diarmuid Kilgallen, 13 Tom Farrell, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Thaakir Abrahams, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Craig Casey, 8 Gavin Coombes, 7 Jack O’Donoghue, 6 Tadhg Beirne (c), 5 Fineen Wycherley, 4 Tom Ahern, 3 John Ryan, 2 Diarmuid Barron, 1 Jeremy Loughman
Replacements: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Michael Milne, 18 Ronan Foxe, 19 Edwin Edogbo, 20 John Hodnett, 21 Ethan Coughlan, 22 Tony Butler, 23 Dan Kelly
Stormers:
Venue: Thomond Park, Limerick
Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA / 19.30 SA
Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 58th league game)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Cole (IRFU), Andrew Fogarty (IRFU)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Edinburgh v Ospreys
Prediction: TBC
Edinburgh:
Ospreys:
Venue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh
Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA / 19.30 SA
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU, 9th league game)
Assistant Referees: Finlay Brown (SRU), Ciaran Stark (SRU)
TMO: Brian McNeice (IRFU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
James Ryan learns ban fate after thuggish hit on Malcolm Marx
Connacht v Sharks
Prediction: TBC
Connacht:
Sharks:
Venue: Dexcom Stadium, Galway
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA / 21.45 SA
Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU, 14th league game)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (IRFU), Jack MacNeice (IRFU)
TMO: Keith David (WRU)
Live on: TG4, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
Scarlets v Glasgow Warriors
Prediction: TBC
Scarlets:
Glasgow Warriors:
Venue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA / 21.45 SA
Referee: Chris Allison (SARU, 5th league game)
Assistant Referees: Ben Whitehouse (WRU), Adam Jones (WRU)
TMO: Morne Ferreira (SARU)
Live on: S4C, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC.tv
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