RaboDirect Pro12 round 9: previews and predictions

Dragons v Connacht
Club captain Lewis Evans and loosehead prop Phil Price return to the Dragons’ starting line up as they prepare to face Connacht at Rodney Parade tonight.
Evans’ comeback at blindside is a much needed boost for the Welshmen as they go into the game on the back of six consecutive defeats despite a spirited display against Northampton in the LV Cup last week.
Youngster Jack Dixon and Ieuan Jones retain places on the regions bench after impressive form during the Anglo-Welsh competition.
Meanwhile, Connacht have made just the three just changes from the side that beat Treviso 18-3 in their last league outing.
Captain Gavin Duffy, Mick Kearney and Michael Swift all return with Ethienne Reynecke named on the bench.
Duffy comes back on the left wing while Kearney and Swift will form the second row partnership.
Also among the replacements, flying winger Matt Healy could earn his first cap after impressing for the second team.
Dragons: Prydie; Harries, Leach, Smith, Chavhanga; D. Evans, W. Evans; Price, Gustafson, Way; A. Jones, Sidoli; L. Evans (capt.), Cudd, Brown.
Replacements: S. Jones, O. Evans, Buck, Nimmo, I. Jones, J. Evans, Robling, Dixon.
Connacht: Henshaw; O’Halloran, Poolman, McSharry, Duffy (capt.); Parks, Marmion; Buckley, Harris-Wright, White; Swift, Kearney; Browne, Faloon, McKeon.
Replacements: Reynecke, Ah You, Loughney, Gannon, O’Connor, Moore, Nikora, Healy.
Prediction: Despite the loss, the Dragons had a good game last week. Aggressive in defence, dominant catch and exploited turnover almost perfectly. But they struggled in the scrum which eventually cost them the game. But it WAS the Saints scrum and I think it’ll be the end of the tunnel for the Welsh tonight.
Edinburgh v Ospreys
The Scottish have made six changes to the side that lost to unbeaten league leaders Ulster before the break.
Hooker Ross Ford returns from Scotland duty to start in place of the injured Andy Titterrell and packs down between props John Yapp and Willem Nel while Izak van der Westhuizen and Perry Parker form a new look second-row.
Sep Visser and Dougie Fife replace the injured Lee Jones and John Houston on the wing and at outside centre with Houston moving to the bench.
Scrum-half Richie Rees trades places with Chris Leck to line-up next to stand-off Gregor Hunter.
Andrew Bishop will become the most capped Osprey of all time tonight making his 181^st appearance for the region, moving ahead of Paul James, who now moved to Bath, at the top of the list.
At the other end of the spectrum, tight-head Owen Williams makes his Pro12 debut just like Nicky Thomas and Sam Davies if they come off the bench.
Edinburgh: Tonks; Visser, Fife, King, Brown; Hunter, Rees; Yapp, Ford, Nel; Parker, Van der Westhuizen, Cox (capt.), Grant, McInally.
Replacements: Walker, Jacobsen, Niven, McAlpine, Watson, Leck, Houston, Penn.
Ospreys: Fussell; Isaacs, Bishop, Spratt, Walker; Morgan, Webb; Bevington, Baldwin, Williams; Peers, King; Stowers, Lewis, Bearman (capt.).
Replacements: D. Jones, Dwyer, Thomas, Gough, Allen, Habberfield, Davies, R. Jones
Prediction: While the youngsters took over for the LV Cup for the Welshmen, the Scots had two weeks to get ready. They have to win this one to climb back on the table but I don’t think they’ll do it against a youthfull Ospreys side.
Glasgow v Leinster
Canadian flyer DTH van der Merwe makes his long awaited return from injury as the Warriors prepare the reception of Leinster tonight.
Pat McArthur also return from injury to pack down at hooker with Moray Low sitting on the bench
Gregor Townsend’s side are bidding to make it seven wins in a row in the RaboDirect PRO12, and cement their place in the top four of the competition.
Leinster welcome back Sean O’Brien as the Ireland international will make his first appearance of the season for the Heineken Cup champions at No.8.
Isa Nacewa and Ian Madigan will also return to action at full-back and fly-half respectively while Aaron Dundon makes his first appearance at hooker since the opening weekend.
Glasgow: Murchie; Seymour, Dunbar, Horne, Van Der Merwe; Jackson, Kennedy; Reid, MacArthur, Cusack; Swinson, Ryder; Harley, Fusaro (capt.), Strauss.
Replacements: Gillies, Fainga’anuku, Low, Eddie, Wilson, Graham, Wight, McGuigan.
Leinster: Nacewa; Kearney, Macken, Goodman, Carr; Madigan, Boss; McGrath, Dundon, Hagan; Cullen, Roux; McLaughlin, Jennings, O’Brien.
Replacements: Sexton, O’Connell, Moore, Toner, Murphy, Cooney, Reid, Conway.
Prediction: Both sides welcome back some key players and, despite the change of personnel, both are looking strong. Glasgow have made a priority of the Pro12 but it will be tough though. I’m going to see the glass half empty here and go for the home side here.
Munster v Scarlets
Munster have made six changes as they resume their challenge for RaboDirect Pro12 honours against Scarlets at Musgrave Park on Sunday.
One of those changes is positional with Ian Keatley moving back to his favoured No.10 shirt occupied last time out by Ronan O’Gara.
Two are injury enforced with Niall Ronan back after almost two months replacing Sean Dougall and Paddy Butler in for Tommy O’Donnell  who limped out of the game against Leinster last week with an ankle injury.
Elsewhere, Wian du Preez starts ahead of Marcus Horan, Ian Nagle partners Billy Holland this time around and James Downey is back as centre partner for Casey Laulala.
Scarlets head coach Simon Easterby will field a mix of experience and up-and-coming talent in his starting XV with a return to regional action for Morgan Stoddart at full-back as Liam Williams is called up to Wales to replace his injured Scarlets teammate George North.
Nick Reynolds comes in for the injured Kristian Phillips on the wing while Aled Thomas, who showed strong form with the boot last weekend, starts at outside half with Gareth Davies back at scrum-half.
Kirby Myhill and Samson Lee are released back from Wales’ training squad this weekend, adding some youthful power and energy to the Scarlets’ bench.
South African signing George Earle moves from the second row to cover back row following the number of international call-up for Scarlets back-row players in addition to injuries.
Munster: Jones; Howlett (capt.), Laulala, Downey, O’Dea; Keatley, Williams; Du Preez, Sherry, Archer; Nagle, Holland; O’Callaghan, Ronan, Butler.
Replacements: Varley, Horan, Botha, Foley, Stander, Stringer,  Hanrahan, Hurley.
Scarlets: Stoddart; Reynolds, Maule, Owen, Fenby; A. Thomas, Davies; John, Phillips, Adriaanse; Ball, Kelly; Earle, Edwards (capt.), Price.
Replacements: Myhill, Hopkins, Lee, Snyman, D. Thomas, Williams, Newton, Warren.
Prediction: Munster are a tough cookie at home and, even though it at Musgrave Park rather than their beloved Thomond Park, they will be keen to get a good win under their belt before the Heineken Cup resumes and a mouth-watering double header against Saracens. They’ll be too strong against an under strength Scarlets side.
This game will be covered live on our website on Sunday.
Treviso v Ulster
Italian internationals Luca Morisi and Andrea Pratichetti are available for Treviso but will sit on the bench as Treviso host the unbeateb Ulster at Stadio Monigo.
Andy Vilk and flanker Filippo Giusti start at inside centre and on the bench respectively.
Ireland duo Andrew Trimble and Paul Marshall have been included in the Ulster line up for teh Irish second game in Italy in five days after their hard fought 27-25 win over Zebre last Sunday.
No.8 Roger Wilson will captain the side with 20-year-old Peter Nelson earning just his second start at fullback.
In total there are six personnel changes and one positional switch. Up front sees an all new front row of Tom Court, Rob Herring and Declan Fitzpatrick deployed in place of Callum Black, Nigel Brady and John Afoa respectively.
Marshall’s inclusion alongside Niall O’Connor at half back means Michael Heaney must be content with a place on the bench. Outside of them, Paddy Wallace and Jared Payne, playing in midfield for the third consecutive match, will be tasked with providing much of the creativity.
With Trimble named on the right wing, Michael Allen has switched to the left touchline at the expense of Chris Cochrane.
Treviso: Williama; Toniolatti, Loamanu, Vilk, Nitoglia; Di Bernardo, Semenzato; Muccignat, Sbaraglini, Roux; Fuser, Van Zyl (capt.); Bernabò, Derbyshire, Filippucci.
Replacements: Ceccato, Maistri, Fernandez-Rouyet, Giusti, Pratichetti, Esposito, Ambrosini, Morisi.
Ulster: Nelson; Trimble, Payne, Wallace, Allen; O’Connor, Marshall; Court, Herring, Fitzpatrick; Diack, McComb; Williams, McComish, Wilson (capt.).
Replacements: Brady, Black, Afoa, Simpson, Birch, Heaney, Olding, Cochrane.
Prediction: The Irish might have taken the last game lightly and they very nearly paid for it. Maybe they needed it to avoid complaisance and Treviso will be facing a side seeking to make amends. It’s never easy to travel to Treviso but Ulster will remain the only unbeaten side in Europe after this one.
Zebre v Cardiff Blues
Newcomers Zebre welcome back captain Gonzalo Garcia for the reception of Cardiff on Sunday.
The Italian international centre, who has recovered from his injury suffered in Limerick a month ago, will partner Samuele Pace, who was impressive against Ulster last Sunday.
Sinoti Sinoti has also recovered from injury to start on the wing while Salvatore Perugini and David Ryan start at props and Andrea Manici is confirmed as hooker.
Despite losing the last four Pro12 matches, the Blues will be looking to re-group and turn their performance around on in Italy.
Nathan Trevett, Rhys Williams and Taufa’ao Filise start with Sam Hobbs and Marc Breeze returning to the bench for this Italian encounter. Benoit Bourrust also returns, having recovered from a calf injury as the final front row replacement.
Rory Watts-Jones comes in at blindside partnering captain Josh Navidi and Robin Copeland in the back row.
The backs see the return of Dafydd Hewitt at inside centre with Gavin Evans moving to No.13 and Owen Williams to the wing. Ceri Sweeny returns at fly0half bringing experience to a youthful team.
Zebre: Odiete; Sarto, Garcia (capt.), Pace, Sinoti; Halangahu, Tebaldi; Perugini, Manici, Ryan ; Sole, Cazzola; Ferrarini, Cattina, Van Schalkwyk.
Replacements: Festuccia, De Marchi, Redolfini, Caffini, Cristiano, Chillon, Buso, Trevisan.
Cardiff Blues: Fish, O. Williams, Evans, Hewitt, James; Sweeney, L. Williams; Trevett, R. Williams, Filise; Cook, Down; Watts-Jones, Navidi (capt.), Copeland.
Replacements: Breeze, Hobbs, Bourrust, Paterson, Pretorius, Jones, Patchell, T. Williams.
Prediction: The moral will be sky high for the Italians after they ran Ulster to the wire last week while the Blues are doing great right now. I’m going to see the glass empty again on this one and tip an historic win for Zebre.