Friday's Guinness PRO12 team news: Several international stars return
Friday 9 September 2016 19:02, UK
A host of international stars feature in the PRO12 this week, as Munster host Cardiff Blues and Scarlets travel to Edinburgh.
Dragons v Zebre (7.15pm)
Wales' Hallam Amos starts at full-back for the Dragons as several internationals make their return for the region. Adam Warren and last weekend's try-scorer Pat Howard complete the back three with Amos.
The centre partnership sees Tyler Morgan link up with Sam Beard, while Nick Macleod and Sarel Pretorius form the half-back pairing.
Thomas Davies makes his first start for the Dragons in the front row, where he packs down alongside hooker Thomas Rhys Thomas and fellow prop Lloyd Fairbrother.
Rynard Landman and Nick Crosswell start in the second row, while captain Lewis Evans returns to the back row where he joins Nic Cudd and Ed Jackson.
Dragons: 15 Hallam Amos, 14 Adam Warren, 13 Tyler Morgan, 12 Sam Beard, 11 Pat Howard, 10 Nick Macleod, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 1 Thomas Davies, 2 Thomas Rhys Thomas, 3 Brok Harris, 4 Nick Crosswell, 5 Rynard Landman, 6 Lewis Evans (c), 7 Nic Cudd, 8 Ed Jackson.
Replacements: Rhys Buckley, Sam Hobbs, Lloyd Fairbrother, Matthew Screech, James Thomas, Charlie Davies, Angus O'Brien, Geraint Rhys Jones.
Zebre: 15 Kurt Baker, 14 Lloyd Greeff, 13 Giulio Bisegni, 12 Tommaso Boni, 11 Gabriele Di Giulio, 10 Carlo Canna, 9 Guglielmo Palazzani, 1 Andrea De Marchi, 2 Oliviero Fabiani, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 5 George Biagi (c), 6 Jacopo Sarto, 7 Maxime Mbandà, 8 Andries Van Schalkwyk.
Replacements: 16 Carlo Festuccia, 17 Guillermo Roan, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Gideon Koegelenberg, 20 Federico Ruzza, 21 Carlo Engelbrecht, 22 Matteo Pratichetti, 23 Edoardo Padovani.
Live PRO12 Rugby Union
Munster v Cardiff Blues (7.35pm)
Cardiff Blues captain Gethin Jenkins returns to the starting line-up as coach Danny Wilson makes four changes for Friday's clash.
Wales' record cap-holder came off the bench in last week's win over Edinburgh and now starts in place of Rhys Gill who drops to the bench.
Jenkins is one of four Wales internationals Wilson has recalled, with Alex Cuthbert, Gareth Anscombe and Kristian Dacey all making starts. Wales trio Josh Turnbull, Sam Warburton and Lloyd Williams are also set for their first appearances of the season after being named among the replacements.
Meanwhile Munster Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has made two changes to the side that defeated Scarlets last week. The first change is in the half-backs, with Ian Keatley coming into the side at fly-half as injury cover for Tyler Bleyendaal who picked up a calf strain.
In the other change Andrew Conway comes into the side at full-back for his first start of the season.
Munster: 15 Andrew Conway, 14 Darren Sweetnam, 13 Dan Goggin, 12 Rory Scannell, 11 Ronan O'Mahony, 10 Ian Keatley, 9 Duncan Williams, 1 James Cronin, 2 Niall Scannell, 3 John Ryan, 4 Dave Foley, 5 Billy Holland (c), 6 Dave O'Callaghan, 7 Tommy O'Donnell, 8 Jack O'Donoghue.
Replacements: 16 Duncan Casey, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Brian Scott, 19 Donnacha Ryan, 20 CJ Stander, 21 Tomás O'Leary, 22 Cian Bohane, 23 Stephen Fitzgerald.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Dan Fish, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Tom James, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Tomos Williams, 1 Gethin Jenkins (c), 2 Kristian Dacey, 3 Taufa'ao Filise, 4 George Earle, 5 Macauley Cook, 6 Josh Navidi, 7 Ellis Jenkins, 8 Nick Williams.
Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Josh Turnbull, 20 Sam Warburton, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 Steve Shingler, 23 Matthew Morgan.
Edinburgh v Scarlets (7.35pm)
Brothers Jonathan and James Davies have been included in the run-on side for the Scarlets' trip to the Scottish capital, with older brother Jonathan making his first competitive start for the region since 2014. Olympic silver medalist James features at openside flank, with John Barclay moving to No 8.
Both sides remain in search of their first win of the season, after Scarlets were edged by Munster at home in the opening round, and Edinburgh fell to Cardiff Blues.
Edinburgh boss Alan Solomons has responded to his side's defeat by making five changes, with Michael Allen starting on the wing ahead of Rory Scholes, as Phil Burleigh returns at inside centre.
John Hardie comes in for Hamish Watson and Magnus Bradbury takes the No 8 shirt in place of the injured Nasi Manu. The final change in the forwards is in the second row, where Ben Toolis is promoted from the bench into the No 4 jersey.
Edinburgh: 15 Glenn Bryce, 14 Michael Allen, 13 Sasa Tofilau, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Tom Brown, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Nathan Fowles, 1 Rory Sutherland, 2 Ross Ford, 3 WP Nel, 4 Ben Toolis, 5 Grant Gilchrist (c), 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 John Hardie, 8 Magnus Bradbury.
Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Kevin Bryce, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Hamish Watson, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Blair Kinghorn, 23 Solomoni Rasolea.
Scarlets: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Hadleigh Parkes, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Scott Williams, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Rhys Patchell, 9 Aled Davies, 1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens (c), 3 Werner Kruger, 4 Jake Ball, 5 David Bulbring, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 James Davies, 8 John Barclay.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Luke Garrett, 18 Peter Edwards, 19 Tadhg Beirne, 20 Josh Macleod, 21 Gareth Davies, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Aled Thomas.
