URC round nine: Predictions, teams, kick-off times, how to watch and referee appointments
Edinburgh fly-half Ross Thompson (inset) and Leinster hooker Dan Sheehan.
Round Nine of the United Rugby Championship (URC) is already underway after Thursday’s two games but there’s much more to come over the weekend.
Ahead of Friday’s Ulster v Munster clash and the five fixtures taking place on Saturday, here’s the team news, our predictions, how to watch and the match officials.
Friday
Ulster v Munster
Prediction: Ulster by 5
Ulster: 15 Jacob Stockdale, 14 Werner Kok, 13 James Hume, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Zac Ward, 10 Jack Murphy, 9 Nathan Doak, 8 Bryn Ward, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Cormac Izuchukwu, 5 Joe Hopes, 4 Iain Henderson (c), 3 Tom O’Toole, 2 Tom Stewart, 1 Angus Bell
Replacements: 16 Rob Herring, 17 Eric O’Sullivan, 18 Scott Wilson, 19 Harry Sheridan, 20 David McCann, 21 Conor McKee, 22 Jake Flannery, 23 Jude Postlethwaite
Munster: 15 Mike Haley, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Dan Kelly, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Thaakir Abrahams, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Paddy Patterson, 8 Alex Kendellen, 7 John Hodnett, 6 Tom Ahern, 5 Fineen Wycherley, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Michael Ala’alatoa, 2 Diarmuid Barron (c), 1 Josh Wycherley
Replacements: 16 Lee Barron, 17 Jeremy Loughman, 18 Conor Bartley, 19 Jack O’Donoghue, 20 Brian Gleeson, 21 Ethan Coughlan, 22 Tony Butler, 23 Seán O’Brien
Venue: Affidea Stadium, Belfast
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA / 21.45 SA
Referee: Mike Adamson (SRU, 94th league game)
Assistant Referees: Robbie Jenkinson (IRFU), Sam Holt (IRFU)
TMO: Dave Sutherland (SRU)
Live on: Premier Sports, SuperSport, Flo Rugby & URC TV
Saturday
Sharks v Lions
Prediction: Sharks by 10
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (c), 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Manu Tshituka, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Emile van Heerden, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Hanro Jacobs, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Eduan Swart, 17 Phatu Ganyane, 18 Mawande Mdanda, 19 Corne Rahl, 20 Phepsi Buthelezi, 21 Nick Hatton, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Siya Masuku
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Bronson Mills, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (c), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Eddie Davids
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 RF Schoeman, 18 Conrad van Vuuren, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Siba Qoma, 22 Hassiem Pead, 23 Richard Kriel
Venue: Hollywoodbets Kings Park, Durban
Kick-off: 13.30 IRE & UK / 14.30 ITA / 15.30 SA
Referee: Chris Allison (SARU, 6th league game)
Assistant Referees: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU), Hanru van Rooyen (SARU)
TMO: Egon Seconds (SARU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC TV
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse BACK for Stormers ahead of Bulls showdown
Stormers v Bulls
Prediction: Stormers by 12
Stormers: 15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat (c), 3 Neethling Fouché, 2 André-Hugo Venter, 1 Ali Vermaak
Replacements: 16 Lukhanyo Vokozela, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Adré Smith, 20 Ruben van Heerden, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Stefan Ungerer, 23 Jurie Matthee
Bulls: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sebastian de Klerk, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 David Kriel, 11 Stravino Jacobs, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Paul de Wet, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp
Replacements: 16 Akker van der Merwe, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Reinhardt Ludwig, 21 Nizaam Carr, 22 Embrose Papier, 23 Devon Williams
Venue: DHL Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 16.00 IRE & UK / 17.00 ITA / 18.00 SA
Referee: Griffin Colby (SARU, 10th league game)
Assistant Referees: Morne Ferreira (SARU), Sean Muller (SARU)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC TV
Benetton v Edinburgh
Prediction: Benetton by 4
Benetton: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Leonardo Marin, 11 Ignacio Mendy, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 Riccardo Favretto, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Bautista Bernasconi, 1 Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16 Nicholas Gasperini, 17 Destiny Aminu, 18 Giosué Zilocchi, 19 Scott Scrafton, 20 So’otala Fa’aso’o, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Rhyno Smith, 23 Malakai Fekitoa
Edinburgh: 15 Jack Brow, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Matt Currie, 12 James Lang, 11 Wes Goosen, 10 Ross Thompson, 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Magnus Bradbury (c), 7 Freddy Douglas, 6 Tom Dodd, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Glen Young, 3 Ollie Blyth-Lafferty, 2 Harri Morris, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16 Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, 17 James Whitcombe, 18 Paul Hill, 19 Callum Hunter-Hill, 20 Liam McConnell, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22 Cammy Scott, 23 Piers O’Conor
Venue: Stadio Monigo, Treviso
Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA / 19.30 SA
Referee: Peter Martin (IRFU, 11th league game)
Assistant Referees: Alberto Facaro (FIR), Riccardo Bonato (FIR)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC TV
Leinster v Connacht
Prediction: Leinster by 10
Leinster: 15 Ciarán Frawley, 14 Tommy O’Brien, 13 Hugh Cooney, 12 Charlie Tector, 11 Joshua Kenny, 10 Sam Prendergast, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Will Connors, 6 Diarmuid Mangan, 5 Brian Deeny, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Thomas Clarkson, 2 Dan Sheehan (c), 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Gus McCarthy, 17 Jack Boyle, 18 Rabah Slimani, 19 Conor O’Tighearnaigh, 20 Max Deegan, 21 Josh van der Flier, 22 Luke McGrath, 23 Harry Byrne
Connacht: 15 Sam Gilbert, 14 Chay Mullins, 13 David Hawkshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Finn Treacy, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Matthew Devine, 8 Sean Jansen, 7 Cian Prendergast (c), 6 Josh Murphy, 5 David O’Connor, 4 Joe Joyce, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Dylan Tierney-Martin, 1 Denis Buckley
Replacements: 16 Eoin de Buitlear, 17 Billy Bohan, 18 Fiachna Barrett, 19 Darragh Murray, 20 Paul Boyle, 21 Ben Murphy, 22 Harry West, 23 Cathal Forde
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA / 19.30 SA
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU, 112th league game)
Assistant Referees: Keane Davison (IRFU), Chris Lough (IRFU)
TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC TV
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Glasgow Warriors v Zebre Parma
Prediction: Glasgow Warriors by 15
Glasgow Warriors: 15 Ollie Smith, 14 Duncan Munn, 13 Stafford McDowall (c), 12 Kerr Yule, 11 Jamie Dobie, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ben Afshar, 8 Macenzzie Duncan, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Euan Ferrie, 5 Max Williamson, 4 Jare Oguntibeju, 3 Fin Richardson, 2 Seb Stephen, 1 Patrick Schickerling
Replacements: 16 Gregor Hiddleston, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Sam Talakai, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Ally Miller, 21 Jack Oliver, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Dan Lancaster
Zebre Parma: tbc 15 Lorenzo Pani, 14 Mirko Belloni, 13 Giulio Bertaccini, 12 Enrico Lucchin, 11 Albert Einstein Batista, 10 Martin Roger Farias, 9 Thomas Dominguez, 8 Davide Ruggeri, 7 Iacopo Bianchi, 6 Guido Volpi, 5 Franco Carrera, 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Shilo Klein, 1 Paolo Buonfiglio (c)
Replacements: 16 Giovanni Quattrini, 17 Luca Franceschetto, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 Giacomo Milano, 20 David Odiase, 21 Migael Prinsloo, 22 Giovanni Montemauri, 23 Luca Morisi
Venue: Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Kick-off: 19.45 IRE & UK / 20.45 ITA / 21.45 SA
Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU, 16th league game)
Assistant Referees: Sam Grove-White (SRU), Sam O’Neil (SRU)
TMO: Keith David (WRU)
Live on: SuperSport, Premier Sports, TG4, Flo Rugby & URC TV
READ MORE: Ulster v Munster teams: Ireland international returns as skipper while visitors make TEN changes