RaboDirect Pro12 Round 2: preview and predictions

Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh
Wales Grand Slam winners Sam Warburton, Leigh Halphpenny, Alex Cuthbert and Bradley Davies all return for Cardiff in a much stronger team than the one they fielded for their 13-9 win at Connacht last week.
The Welsh captain will wear his favourite No.7 jersey for the Blues first home game of the game and will hope to secure a second win in as many games after a poor run in pre-season.
Scotland props Allan Jacobsen and Geoff Cross start for Edinburgh while Roddy Grant replaces the rested Ross Rennie at openside.
Centre John Houston comes in for the injured Ben Atiga, who aggravated a hip strain in the Munster match, with Sep Visser taking the place on the bench alongside Fiji captain Netani Talei.
Cardiff: Halfpenny; Cuthbert, Evans, Hewitt, James; Sweeney, Jones, Filise, R. Williams, Bourrust; B. Davies, Down; Navidi, Warburton, Pretorius (capt.).
Replacements: Breeze, Trevett, T. Davies, Reed, Hamilton, L. Williams, Patchell, T. Williams.
Edinburgh: Tonks; Jones, De Luca, Houston, T. Visser, Laidlaw (capt.), Rees; Jacobsen, Ford, Cross; Gilchrist, Cox; Denton, Grant, McInally.
Replacements: Titterrell, Yapp, Nel, Parker, Talei, Leck, Hunter, S. Visser.
Predictions: Alex Cuthbert will have to be careful with the ‘Flying Dutchman’ Tim Visser but the return of Warburton and Davies up front will help the Blues claim the win.
Glasgow v Scarlets
Scotland internationals Chris Cusiter and Ruaridh Jackson are re-united at half-back for the Warriors first home game in their new Scotstoun Stadium.
They will have to improve from their 18-10 loss to Ulster last week and will hope the all-new front row of Ryan Grant, Pat MacArthur, and Moray Low will help them do just that while John Barclay comes in at openside.
Rhys Priestland will make his first start of the season in a strong backline powered by George North, Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams.
The Weslh side will be keen to follow up their 45-20 thumping of Leinster last week with another big performance in Glasgow where they won just once in their last seven visits.
Glasgow: Murchie; Lamont, Dunbar, Morrison, van der Merwe; Jackson, Cusiter; Grant, MacArthur, Low; Ryder, Kellock (capt.); Harley, Barclay, Wilson.
Replacements: Hall, Cusack, Reid, Eddie, Fusaro, Pyrgos, Weir, Horne.
Scarlets: L. Williams; North, J. Davies, S. Williams, Fenby; Priestland, Knoyle; Jones, Rees, Manu; Earle, Kelly; Shingler, Edwards, McCusker (capt.).
Replacements: Owens, John, Edwards, Timani, Murphy, G. Davies, Thomas, Warren.
Predictions: Glasgow will push hard in their new home but the Scarlets are a far more experienced side than in recent years and will just be too strong for them.
Leinster v Dragons
Ireland hooker Sean Cronin is included in the front row alongside Jamie Hagan and Jack McGrath for Leinster who are still without 11 fit Irish internationals for this fixture.
Dragons’ back row Jevon Groves is set to lead the Men of Gwent for the first time with prop Tim Ryan looking to start his competitive career at the Dragons as a replacement.
With an unchanged back line from the 37-6 victory over the Zebre last week, head-coach Darren Edwards has rung the changes in the forwards with Ian Nimmo, Toby Faletau and Jevon Groves the only survivors from last weekend’s starting XV.
Leinster: Nacewa; Conway, Macken, Reid, Carr; Madigan, Cooney; J. McGrath, Cronin, Hagan; Cullen (capt.), Roux; Marshall, Jennings, Auva’a.
Replacements: Sexton, van der Merwe, Moore, Toner, Murphy, L. McGrath, O’Shea, Hudson.
Dragons: D. Evans; Harries, Leach, Tuilagi, Prydie; S. Jones, J. Evans; Williams, Parry, Buck; Nimmo, A. Jones; Stoddart, Groves (capt.), Faletau.
Replacements: Gustafson, Coundley, Ryan, L. Evans, Brown, Davies, Smith, Amos.
Predictions: Winning at Leinster couldn’t come any easier than that for the Dragons but the Irish will pick up their bruised ego and clinch this one.
Munster v Treviso
Munster coach Rob Penney has made only two changes following their 23-18 win in Edinburgh last week.
Stephen Archer replaces BJ Botha at prop while Dave O’Callaghan gets the nod over Paddy Butler at blindside.
Treviso will travel to Thomond Park full of confidence after beating the reigning champions Ospreys 12-6 last week in poor weather conditions.
Brendan Williams has been named at full-back in place of Kristopher Burton who drops to bench while Antonio Pavanello comes in and will captain the side at lock.
Munster: Hurley; Howlett (capt.), Laulala, Downey, O’Dea; Keatley, Williams; du Preez, Varley, Archer; Do. O’Callaghan, Holland; Da. O’Callaghan, Dougall, Coughlan
Replacements: Sherry, Kilcoyne, Botha, Foley, Butler, Stringer, Deasy, Dineen.
Treviso: Williams; Nitoglia, Sgarbi, Morisi, Iannone; Di Bernardo, Gori; Rizzo, Ceccato, Cittadini; Pavanello (capt.), Bernabò; Favaro, Budd, Derbyshire.
Replacements: Maistri, De Marchi, Fernandez-Rouyet, Van Zyl, Barbieri, Zanni, Semenzato, Burton
Predictions: Treviso are not the same team away from home and Munster will just be too strong for them.
Ospreys v Ulster
Despite the red card to Ian Evans last week, the Ospreys didn’t perform like the reigning champions and they will be keen to make amend at the Liberty Stadium.
Matthew Morgan and Rhys Webb will lead the attack from half-backs with the experienced Khan Fotuali’i and Dan Biggar on the bench and Justin Tipuric coming in at openside.
Niall O’Connor will start ahead of Paddy Jackson at flyhalf with Daren Cave and Declan Fitzpatrick coming in from the bench.
Head coach Mark Anscombe has been boosted by the return of Ireland Internationals Andrew Trimble and Stephen Ferris who are named on a vastly experienced replacements bench alongside All Black John Afoa.
Ospreys: Fussell; Dirksen, Bishop, Beck; Isaacs; Morgan, Webb; Bevington, Hibbard, Jarvis; Gough, Wyn-Jones (capt.); King, Tipuric, Thomas.
Replacements: Baldwin, Jones, Rees, Stowers, Bearman, Fotuali’i, Biggar, Grabham
Ulster: Payne; Gilroy, Cave, Marshall, Allen; O’Connor, Heaney; Black, Herring, Fitzpatrick; Muller (capt.), Stevenson; McComish, Doyle, Williams;
Replacements: Brady, Court, Afoa, McComb, Ferris, Marshall, Jackson, Trimble.
Predictions: Not the easiest of game for the Ospreys to get some pride back but Fotuali’i and Biggar might just clinch it when they come on in the second half.
Zebre v Connacht
Mauro Bergamsco has recovered from a muscle injury and will make his competitive debut for the new Italian franchise at openside while emerging Italy scrum-half Alberto Chillon wins his first start in place of Tito Tebaldi.
The Parma-based side will be keen to put on a big performance for their historic home debut after their 37-6 trashing in Newport last week.
Meanwhile, Connacht have named an unchanged starting XV with Nathan White and Frank Murphy the only two changes on the bench.
The Irish will fancy their chances after their close 13-9 loss to Cardiff at home.
Zebre: Sinoti Sinoti; Venditti, Benettin, Garcia (capt.), Pace; Orquera, Chillon; Perugini, Festuccia, Ryan; Geldenhuys, Sole ; Cristiano, Bergamasco, Van Schalkwyk.
Replacements: Giazzon, De Marchie, Redolfini, Caffini, Belardo, Tebaldi, Chiesa, Trevisan.
Connacht: Duffy (capt.) ; O’Halloran, Griffin, Fifita, Vainikolo ; Nikora, Marmion ; Buckley, Reynecke, Loughney; Swift, McCarthy; Muldoon, O’Connor, Naoupu.
Replacements:  Flavin, Ah You, White, Gannon, Faloon, Murphy, Jarvis, Henshaw.
Predictions: The easiest home game of the season for the Zebre. If they can make the Irish doubt early and score early it will be the perfect start to their Pro 12 life. They will rise to the occasion and win this one.
Read all the reports in Sunday’s edition of The Rugby Paper.