LV Cup round 2: preview and prediction

Dragons v Northampton
The Dragons and the Saints are both looking for their first win in the competition at Rodney Parade on Sunday.
Dan Evans and Wayne Evans form a new half back partnership as Evans make his first start of the season after injury.
Captain Ashley Smith reverts back to his usual position at inside centre, after coming on as a replacement against Bath.
Tom Prydie steps in at fullback, and he is replacing Hallam Amos who is injured.
Hugh Gustafson, Owen Evans, Adam Jones, Nic Cudd and young gun Ieuan Jones, all retain their places in the starting line-up but Toby Faletau is on duty with Wales.
The Saints were beaten 31-30 by Harlequins at Franklin’s Gardens last week and boss Jim Mallinder has made changes to strengthen his side.
England’s Phil Dowson makes his 100th appearance for the club as he replaces Ben Nutley in the back row.
Also in the pack, Samu Manoa is preferred instead of Rhys Oakley, while in the backs, Dom Waldouck returns at centre for teenager Tom Stephenson.
Ken Pisi replaces Scott Armstrong on the wing and Lee Dickson comes in for Martin Roberts at scrum-half.
Dragons: Prydie; Harries, Leach, Smith (capt.), Chavhanga; D. Evans, W. Evans; O. Evans, Gustafson, Way; A. Jones, Sidoli; I. Jones, Cudd, Brown.
Replacements: S. Jones, Price, Buck, Nimmo, L. Evans, J. Evans, Robling, Dixon.
Northampton: May; Pisi, Waldouck, Burrell, Elliott; Lamb, Dickson; Waller, Haywood, Doran-Jones, Manoa, Sorenson; Clark, Dowson, Van Velze.
Replacements: McMillan, Waller, Mujati, Oakley, Nutley, Roberts, Armstrong, Collins.
Prediction: The Dragons are not in a good place right now and they need to win badly. But the same can be said about the Saints who seem to be a long way from their five-match unbeaten streak at the start of the season. This might only be the LV Cup but with the Pro12 and Premiership resuming next week, both must win and I think Northampton will do it.
Exeter v Ospreys
All four try-scorers are retained in Exeter’s starting line-up that shows three changes to the side that dismantled London Welsh at the Kassam Stadium last weekend.
All the changes come in the front-row where there are starts for props Luke Cowan-Dickie, Hoani Tui, and hooker Jack Yeandle who will be making his first-ever senior start for the Chiefs.
There’s a reshuffle in the backs with Nic Sestaret moving back into the centre alongside Sam Hill, Jack Nowell reverts to the vacant wing slot and Myles Dorrian is shunted back into the full-back role.
The Ospreys have made several changes to the side that beat Gloucester last week with a last minute try.
Flanker Arthur Ellis and prop Owen Williams make their debuts at Sandy Park with fly-half Sam Davies and lock Sam Williams awarded their first starts for the province.
Tom Haberfield replaces Rhys Webb at scrum-half who drops to the bench.
Captian Joe Bearman comes back in and is joined by Arthur Ellis in the back-row with last week’s hero Morgan Allen at No.8.
Scott Otten will all also make his Ospreys debut if he comes off the bench.
Exeter: Dorrian; Nowell, Sestaret, Hill, Foster; Slade, Poluleuligaga (capt.); Cowan-Dickie, Yeandle, Tui; Welch, Carrick-Smith; Blanchet, Conlon, Ewers.
Replacements: Clark, Moon, Brown, Muldowney, Simmonds, Coote, Tatupu, Whitten.
Ospreys: Jones; Grabham, John, Spratt, Price; Davies, Habberfield; Thomas, Dwyer, O.Williams; Gough, S.Williams; Bearman (Capt.), Ellis, Allen.
Replacements: Otten, Bevington, Thomas, Peers, King, Webb, Morgan, Isaacs.
Prediction: The Welsh’s spirit will be high after last week but the Chiefs’ youngster where superb in Oxford and they have the chance to do the same in front of their beloved fans. If they don’t get overwhelmed I think they should get another convincing win.
Gloucester v London Welsh
Nigel Davies welcomes back a host of experienced players for the visit of London Welsh after a narrow 33-27 defeat away at the Ospreys last weekend.
Freddie Burns, Ben Morgan and Billy Twelvetrees start after returning from training with England.
Rob Cook returns to full-back while Mike Tindall comes into the centre to captain the side and there’s a place for Steph Reynolds on the wing.
Up front, Akapusi Qera, who played for Fiji against England last weekend, returns in the back row in a much stronger pack.
Tom Savage and Will James are the locks and Nick Wood, Huia Edmonds and Rupert Harden make up a new front row.
For the visitors, there will be a few familiar faces returning to Kingholm tomorrow with Adam Balding, Nick Runciman and Tom Voyce among the London Welsh ranks.
They make 11 changes, including two positional that sees Voyce move to full back, with on loan players Dan Caprice and Jamie Stephenson both getting a place.
In the forwards, Lee Beach is the only survivor from the pack which lined up against the Chiefs last week; he moves to blindside to give Balding his first start for Welsh at No.8.
Tom Bristow, on trial Will Hafu and Paulica Ion make up the front row, while Adam Brown and Matt Corker are partnered in the second row to complete a new front five.
Gloucester: Cook; Monahan, Tindall (capt.), Twelvetrees, Reynolds; Burns, Cowan; Wood, Edmonds, Harden; Savage, James; Qera, Cox, Morgan.
Replacements: Britton, Murphy, Chistolini, Buxton, Moriarty, Lewis, Molenaar, Locke.
London Welsh: Voyce, Caprice, Parker, Jewell, Scott; Ross, Stephenson; Bristow, Hafu, Ion; Brown, Corker; Beach, Hills, Balding.
Replacements: Tideswell, Bateman, Joly, Spivey, Jackson, Runciman, Davies, Lewis.
Prediction: Gloucester have called the big guns for this one ready to keep their Premiership ambitions going when the domestic campaign resumes next week and they should the result going their way.
Harlequins v Bath
Harlequins have made four changes to the starting line-up that defeated Northampton in Round One last week.
England centre Jordan Turner-Hall returns from a knee injury that kept in on the sidelines in recent week. He will form a familiar midfield partnership with George Lowe who also overcame an injury (ankle) to start at outside centre.
Tom Williams is named at full-back in the other change in the back line while England hooker Joe Gray also returns to the side in a young front row made of Will Collier and Mark Lambert outside him.
For Bath, academy scrum-half Chris Cook forges a new half-back partnership with Stephen Donald while regular wingers Kyle Eastmond and Tom Biggs return to the starting XV.
Up front, Lee Mears will captain the side from hooker with Dominic Day and Dave Attwood pairing in the engine room behind Mears.
Harlequins: Williams; Stegmann, Lowe, Turner-Hall, Smith; Botica, Dickson; Lambert, Gray, Collier; Browne, Matthews; Trayfoot, Wallace (capt.), Guest.
Replacements: Buchanan, Marfo, Sinckler, Twomey, Clifford, Lindsay-Hague, Grimoldby, Casson.
Bath: Devoto; Eastmond, Banahan, Williams, Biggs; Donald, Cook; Beech, Mears (capt.), Perenise; Day, Attwood; Skuse, Mercer, Taylor.
Replacements: Sharman, Cotter, Palma-Newport, Caldwell, Ovens, Claassens, Heathcote.
Prediction: Both side have some experienced players coming back in action and there is no doubt it will impact on the quality of the game. This could be a close encounter but at home you’d trust Quins to get the job done.
Leicester v London Irish
Rob Hawkins and Brett Deacon return from injury to take a starting place in the Leicester’s line-up on Sunday.
Hooker Hawkins makes his first start of the season alongside Boris Stankovich and Fraser Balmain in the front row, while Deacon will captain the team from No.8 on his return from a hand injury.
Scrum-half Micky Young starts for the first time on home ground this season, and summer signing Dan Bowden returns to the backline against his former club. Mathew Tait continues his return from a lengthy injury absence with another start at full-back.
England Internationals Alex Corbisiero and Jonathan Joseph and Scotland hooker, Scott Lawson all start for London Irish.
Matt Garvey and George Skivington will form the second row partnership and Alex Gray starts at No.8.
Tom Homer, who today signed a new contract with the club, has recovered from injury to be named as a replacement.
Leicester: Tait; Forsyth, Smith, Bowden, Lewington; Ford, Young; Stankovich, Hawkins, Balmain; Andrew, Slater; Noone, Thorpe,  Deacon (capt.).
Replacements: Stevens, Harris, Brookes, Cain, Crane, Harrison, Symons, Purdy.
London Irish: Watson; Ojo, Joseph, Geraghty, Tagicakibau; Humphreys, Allinson; Corbisiero, Lawson, Halavatau; Skivington, Garvey; Danaher (capt.),Gibson, Gray.
Replacements: Blaney, Lahiff, Griffiths, Evans, Hala’ufia, Homer, Shingler, Barnham.
Prediction: The battle up front will be fierce for these two very strong sides but I think the duel between Dan Bowden and Shane Geraghty could be key here. Whoever will give more width to his team’s attack should be on the winning side. I’m gonna go for an upset and tip the Exiles here but expect to see a lot of tries.
Sale v Saracens
Club captain David Seymour returns at openside for Sale as they will be desperately looking for their third win of the season against Saracens tonight.
Cameron Shepherd starts at full-back for the occasion with Corne Uys and Jordan Davies forming a all-new centre partnership.
Up front, James Gaskell shifts from lock to blindside as Andy Powell is out with Richie Vernon taking over from Mark Easter at No.8.
Meanwhile, Saracens have made four changes to the side that beat Leicester 38-21 in the opening clash of the tournament last weekend.
England lock Mouritz Botha starts in the engine room behind debutant Lorenzo Romano while Kameli Ratuvou and Joel Tomkins will form a new centre pairing.
Sale: Shepherd; Amesbury, Uys, Davies, Cueto; Cipriani, Peel; Lewis-Roberts, Ward, Buckley; McKenzie, Myall; Gaskell, Seymour (capt. ), Vernon.
Replacements: Taylor, Harrison, Cobilas, Holmes, Doyle, Cliff, Miller, Addison.
Saracens: Ransom; Taylor, Tomkins, Ratuvou, Short; Mordt (capt.), Spencer; Auterac, George, Romano; Kruis, Botha; Fenton-Wells, Saull, Ross.
Replacements: Spurling, Reeves, Nieto, Sheriff, Wray, Price, Stanley, Strettle.
Prediction: Sarries put on a good display last week to outclass the Tigers but the Sharks are desperate for a win and I think they will get it just.
Scarlets v Cardiff Blues
The Scarlets welcome back three of their Welsh internationals as they prepare for a Welsh derby against Cardiff Blues tomorrow Parc y Scarlets.
Full-back Liam Williams, hooker Kirby Myhill and tight head Samson Lee all start after being released by Wales this week.
Dan Newton returns from injury to take the pivotal role at 10 with new Australian second row Jake Ball getting his second start in a Scarlets shirt alongside the experienced South African Joe Snyman.
Harry Robinson returns from the Wales squad to start on the wing in one of seven changes for the Blues following their 22-17 win over Wasps last time out.
Rob Lewis starts at scrum-half in place of Lewis Jones who picked up a knock to his shoulder in last Friday’s match.
In the forwards, Andries Pretorius return at No.8 to captain the team and is joined in the back row by Thomas Young who starts at openside.
Macauley Cook starts in the second row while there are two further changes in the front row with Mark Breeze and Ryan Harford starting at hooker and tighthead in place of Rhys Williams and Foa Filise who move to the bench.
Scarlets: L. Williams; K. Phillips, Maule, Owen, Fenby; Newton, R. Williams; Hopkins, Myhill, Lee; Ball, Snyman; Price, Edwards (capt.), Murphy.
Replacements: E. Phillips, John, Adriaanse, Galley, Thomas, Davies, Thomas, Reynolds.
Cardiff Blues: Fish; Robinson, O. Williams, Evans,  James; Davies, Lewis; Hobbs, Breeze, Harford; Cook, Down; Hamilton, Young, Pretorius (capt.).
Replacements: R. Williams, Mafu’u, Filise, Hill, Watts-Jones, L. Williams, Sweeney, Patchell.
Prediction:  The Blues did well last week while the Scarlets were beaten in Worcester with a poor second half display but more than the Cup, bragging rights are up for the taking this time and at home, the men in red will not disappoint.
Wasps v Worcester
Wasps bring in six new faces to their starting line-up for the visit of Worcester on Sunday including captain Hugo Southwell who slots in at fullback with speedster Tom Varndell on the wing.
Matt Everard makes his first competitive start of the season, having impressed off the bench in Cardiff last weekend.
With Joe Launchbury and Tom Palmer in the England squad this weekend, Wasps have been forced to up Josh Brown from London Scottish as Marco Wentzel is ruled out with a knock.
Tom Lindsay and Ashley Johnson are the other new starters, with both coming back into the team having been rested last weekend.
Worcester make five changes to the starting line-up for the trip to Adams Park after beginning the LV Cup competition with a bonus point win over Scarlets last week.
Richard de Carpentier will make his full Warriors debut after moving on a short term contract until the end of the season from Leicester.
The 6ft 4in flanker will pack down behind towering 6ft 8in lock Craig Gillies who is named in the second row alongside captain Dean Schofield.
Rob O’Donnell makes his first start for Warriors since his move from Rotherham Titans in the summer; he is joined by Ceri Jones and Ollie Hayes in a new front row.
Errie Claassens is the only change to the back division as he returns at full back.
Wasps: Southwell (capt.); Wallace, Daly, Bell, Varndell; Bell, Holmes; McIntyre, Lindsay, Swainston; Cannon, Brown; Jones, Everard, Johnson.
Replacements: Morris, Payne, Taylor, Hughes, Haskell, Davies, Thomas, Mayor.
Worcester: Claassens; Walker, Grove, Clarke, Short; Carlisle, Arr; Ce.  Jones, Hayes, O’Donnell; Schofield (capt.), Gillies; De Carpentier, Abbott, Cowan.
Replacements: Shervington, Furniss, Currie, Ch. Jones, Best, Hodgson, Goode, Howard.
Prediction: The last two encounters between these two at Adams Park haven’t been the most entertaining to say the least so being the LV Cup and bringing players looking to impress to secure a place in the squad when the Premiership resumes next week I’m gonna tip some good tries this time around. And at this game Wasps are lethal. I think they’ll win.