Friday’s game will be the final game in the current block of games before the break for the Autumn Internationals.

The latest update from Leinster is a positive one as several players will return to this week but will need to be further assessed before they are deemed match fit.

Caelan Doris (calf) and Ciarán Frawley (dead leg) both came through the win over Scarlets with no issues and will train as normal this week.

Jack Dunne (ankle) and Scott Penny (dead leg) have both returned to full training, with Dunne lining out at the weekend with Dublin University in the Energia All-Ireland League.

Harry Byrne and Dave Kearney are back in training this week after hip and ankle injuries respectively while Johnny Sexton will be monitored throughout the week after his hip injury.

Jimmy O’Brien missed out last week through illness and will be further assessed this week before a decision is made, as will Rory O’Loughlin (shoulder).

James Ryan has entered the Graduated Return to Play Protocols while Robbie Henshaw will be unavailable for selection this week but in positive news, he will take some part in training this week as the medics continue to monitor his progress.

There are no further updates on Michael Milne (calf), Will Connors (knee) and Thomas Clarkson (hamstring).

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On top of this, several players will start their first game of the campaign after previously making their season debuts.

The pair were part of the British and Irish Lions squad that lost to World champions South Africa in the summer.

Tadhg Furlong comes in at tighthead prop and is part of a front three that includes Andrew Porter and Ronan Kelleher.

Jack Conan starts at number eight with Josh Van Der Flier and Caelan Doris on either side of him at wing forward.

Ross Molony and James Ryan complete the pack in the second row.

Jamison Gibson-Park returns to the starting line-up after Luke McGrath took the number nine shirt against Zebre Parma.

Johnny Sexton will captain the side alongside Gibson-Park as the pair make up Leinster’s half-back duo.

Ciaran Frawley starts at 12 with Garry Ringrose complementing him at outside centre, while James Lowe, Jordan Larmour and Hugo Keenan all start in the back three.

Michael Ala’alatoa, Rhys Ruddock and Luke McGrath are among those who will come on upon request.

Capacity at the RDS Arena will again be capped at 75% of full capacity.

Leinster Team v Scarlets

15. Hugo Keenan (32)
14. Jordan Larmour (63)
13. Garry Ringrose (88)
12. Ciarán Frawley (38)
11. James Lowe (53)
10. Johnny Sexton (175) CAPTAIN
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (103)
1. Andrew Porter (79)
2. Rónan Kelleher (26)
3. Tadhg Furlong (114)
4. Ross Molony (119)
5. James Ryan (52)
6. Caelan Doris (41)
7. Josh van der Flier (100)
8. Jack Conan (105)

16. Dan Sheehan (15)
17. Cian Healy (234)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (3)
19. Ryan Baird (30)
20. Rhys Ruddock (191)
21. Luke McGrath (153)
22. Ross Byrne (106)
23. Jimmy O’Brien (36)

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Scarlets v Munster will kick-off at 14:00 on Sunday, 10th October in Parc y Scarlets in Wales. Ben Blain will take charge of the match while Neil Paterson will man the TMO.

The match will be broadcast live on URC TV, RTÉ 2, and Premier Sports this Sunday.

Scarlets are in good form having only lost just one of their last six home matches across the PRO14, Rainbow Cup, and United Rugby Championship.

The Welsh team enjoyed a comfortable win at home to the Lions last weekend. They are also set to welcome three of their own Lions players back this week in captain Ken Owens, Wyn Jones, and Gareth Davies.

The stags have claimed two strong bonus-point wins to start the new season in Thomond Park to South African opposition. Munster now faces their biggest test of the season away to Dwayne Peel’s Scarlets on Sunday afternoon.

Munster has lost just twice away from home in any competition this year. They will also have the chance to wear their Adidas Alternate kit for the first time this season.

@scarlets_rugby fans, tell us… #URC pic.twitter.com/l6vMncPHwf

— United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) August 17, 2021

Scarlets v Munster Starting Teams

Scarlets

Johnny McNicholl; Tom Rogers, Jonathan Davies (capt), Scott Williams, Steff Evans; Sam Costelow, Gareth Davies; Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Samson Lee, Lloyd Ashley, Aaron Shingler, Blade Thomson, Dan Davis, Sione Kalamafoni.

Replacements

Ryan Elias, Wyn Jones, WillGriff John, Morgan Jones, Shaun Evans, Kieran Hardy, Dan Jones, Johnny Williams.

Munster

Matt Gallagher; Calvin Nash, Liam Coombes, Dan Goggin, Shane Daly; Ben Healy, Neil Cronin; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Thomas Ahern, Fineen Wycherley; Jack O’Donoghue (C), Chris Cloete, Jack O’Sullivan.

Replacements

Kevin O’Byrne, Josh Wycherley, John Ryan, RG Snyman, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Jack Crowley, Jack Daly.

Best of luck to Liam Coombes and his Munster teammates who travel to take on Scarlets at 2pm on Sunday. Mumhan Abu!https://t.co/xv5a17hCuJ @Munsterrugby pic.twitter.com/DpVPGvqCn6

— Skibbereen Rugby (@SkibbereenRugby) October 8, 2021

Scarlets v Munster Betting

Outright Betting

Scarlets 1/2

Draw 18/1

Munster 17/10

Handicap Betting

Scarlets (-5) 10/11

Draw (-5) 22/1

Munster (+5) 10/11

Score Predictions

Even with the major boosts of the last two weeks, it is hard to see Munster getting a win at the weekend. With Johann Van Graam’s very changed side and Scarlet’s returning Lions’ players, the Stags will need a lot of belief to get anything from this game.

Expect the Scarlets to win the game by less than ten points.

Beast mode ACTIVATED @Munsterrugby’s RG Snyman one-hands his way to the try line, holding off the bulk of @THESTORMERS’ team! #URC | #MUNSTO pic.twitter.com/s6ktofljHZ

— United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) October 2, 2021

To read more in-depth an up-to-date Munster and Irish rugby news, click here.

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The two teams will face each other at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh with kick-off at 3:00 pm.

Six Irish players are included in the starting XV – Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw. You can use your Coral Promo Code and back The Lions at 2/1 to win the tour in South Africa.

It is the highest amount of players in the XV from any of the four national teams of Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland.

Leinster prop Tadhg Furlong is on the bench, bringing the total of Irish players in the 23 to seven.

Tour Captain Alun Wyn Jones= takes the armband for the side’s first warm-up test.

Rory Sutherland and Zander Fagerson give a Scottish feel to the front row while the back row includes Beirne and Conan alongside Hamish Watson.

Conor Murray and Dan Biggar are the starting inside-back pairing with Irish centres Aki and Henshaw beside them.

Duhan Van Der Merwe, Josh Adams and Liam Williams round off the XV.

Furlong, Jamie George, Owen Farrell and Anthony Watson are among those on the bench.

The game will be available to watch on Channel 4 in Ireland and the UK with coverage starting at 2:15 pm.

British and Irish Lions 1888 Cup Squad

Backs

15. Liam Williams (Wales/Scarlets)

14. Josh Adams (Wales/Cardiff Blues)

13. Robbie Henshaw (Ireland/Leinster)

12. Bundee Aki (Ireland/Connacht)

11. Duhan Van Der Merwe (Scotland/Edinburgh)

10. Dan Biggar (Wales/Northampton Saints)

9. Conor Murray (Ireland/Munster)

Forwards

1. Rory Sutherland (Scotland/Edinburgh)
2. Ken Owens (Wales/Scarlets)
3. Zander Fagerson (Scotland/Glasgow Warriors)
4. Iain Henderson (Ireland/Ulster)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Wales/Ospreys)
6. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland/Munster)
7. Hamish Watson (Scotland/Edinburgh)
8. Jack Conan (Ireland/Leinster)

Bench

16. Jamie George (England/Saracens)

17. Wyn Jones (Wales/Scarlets)

18. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland/Leinster)

19. Courtney Lawes (England/Northampton Saints)

20. Taulupe Faletau (Wales/Bath)

21. Ali Price (Scotland/Glasgow Warriors)

22. Owen Farrell (England/Saracens)

23. Anthony Watson (England/Bath)

Match Review

Chris Farrell opened Ireland’s account with a try after Yu Tamura’s early penalty. Japan responded when Michael Leitch touched down after the visitors mauled over for a try.

Stuart McCloskey then gave Ireland a 12-10 lead after Joey Carbery started an attack with a clever chip, but Japan continued to attack in waves and Timothy Lafaele got over after a free-flowing move.

Finlay Bealham responded for Ireland just before half-time with a try and they took a 19-17 lead into the break.

Siosaia Fifita was next to touch down after the break as Japan came out all guns blazing. It was tit-for-tat as Josh van der Flier then got an Ireland try to put Farrell’s men 26-24 ahead.

Jacob Stockdale was next to notch a try for Ireland but Japan rallied with a late try from Naoto Saito. A Joey Carbery penalty opened up an eight-point lead and Ireland held on for the win.

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Guinness Pro14

Saturday 14th November – The Sportsground, Galway.

Connacht 14 Scarlets 20

A rusty Connacht side slipped to a home defeat to a Scarlets side who were down to bare bones with their International contingent away in camp.

Connacht would have been hoping to build on a superb away win in Edinburgh at the end of October. However, their two subsequent fixtures against Treviso and Dragons were both cancelled due to Covid-19 case in both opposition squads.

Scarlets had the elements at their back in the opening half in what was an archetypal Sportsground November evening. A Ryan Conbeer try got the away side off to a great start after five minutes. Man of the match Johnny McNicholl set Conbeer free out wide on the wing and the winger stepped inside to beat the last defender and dot down. The conversion attempt from Dan James was caught in the gale and pulled wide of the post.

Connacht worked their way back into the game and after a series of pick and go drives their summer signing Abraham Papali’i crashed over for his first Connacht try. Jack Carty’s conversion edged the home side ahead 7-5.

Just after the half-hour mark, Conbeer was in for his second score. Once again it was a pass from McNicholl that set up the score. Dan James was wayward with the extra once again. James did find his range with a penalty on thirty-five minutes. At the break, Scarlets held a 13-7 lead.

Connacht spurned a couple of scoring chances at the start of the second half. A superb break from Paul Boyle almost led to a try, however, an unlucky bounce saw the ball roll into touch rather than over the try line. John Porch was also tackled into touch just short of the line after a good break.

The away side stretch their lead when scrum-half Dane Blacker went over for their third try of the night. McNicholl claimed an ariel ball inside his own half and made ground before slipping the ball to Paul Asquith. The Scarlet’s centre then released Blacker on the edge on the Connacht ’22 with a pass that looked suspiciously forward.

Ultan Dillane was on the end of a Connacht drive to dive over for a try. The subsequent conversion from Carthy cut the arrears to a single score on the hour mark.

Despite some late pressure from the home side, they couldn’t find a way over to swing the game back in their favour. Their best chance came when they were held-up over the line with ten minutes remaining.

In truth, it was an error-riddled performance from Andy Friend’s side who looked flat for large portions of the game. Back to back wins for Scarlet’s see them leapfrog Connacht and lifts them into second place in Conference B.

Full-time: Connacht 14 Scarlets 20

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