Guinness PRO12: DTH van Merwe to make Scarlets debut

Team news for Friday's Guinness PRO12 fixtures as Canada's World Cup star DTH van der Merwe makes his debut for the table-topping Scarlets.

Connacht v Zebre

Matt Healy will make his 50th appearance for Connacht while tighthead Rodney Ah You returns at tighthead after missing the win over Cardiff with a minor injury.

Zebre welcome back Italy internationals Andrea Manici and Valerio Bernarbo as they attempt to halt a nine-game losing streak.

Connacht: 15 Tiernan O'Halloran, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Rory Parata, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Kieran Marmion; 1 Denis Buckley, 2 Tom McCartney, 3 Rodney Ah You, 4 Quinn Roux, 5 Andrew Browne, 6 John Muldoon (c), 7 Nepia Fox-Matamua, 8 Eoin McKeon.

Replacements: 16 Shane Delahunt, 17 Conan O'Donnell, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Aly Muldowney, 20 Eoghan Masterson, 21 John Cooney, 22 Craig Ronaldson, 23 Darragh Leader.

Zebre: 15 Ulrich Beyers, 14 Dion Berryman, 13 Tommaso Boni, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Kayle Van Zyl, 10 Edoardo Padovani, 9 Luke Burgess; 1 Andrea Lovotti, 2 Andrea Manici, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 4 Valerio Bernabo, 5 George Biagi (c), 6 Johan Meyer, 7 Jacopo Sarto, 8 Andries Van Schalkwyk.

Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apice, 17 Andrea De Marchi, 18 Emiliano Coria, 19 Marco Bortolami, 20 Emiliano Caffini, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Michele Visentin, 23 Carlo Canna.

Edinburgh v Ulster

Live PRO12 Rugby Union

Scrum-half Paul Marshall will make his 150th appearance for Ulster in Friday's Sky Live clash, while former Sale No 9 Nathan Fowles partners Phil Burleigh at half-back for Edinburgh.

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Edinburgh: 15 Greig Tonks, 14 Tom Brown, 13 Chris Dean, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Damien Hoyland, 10 Phil Burleigh, 9 Nathan Fowles: 1 Rory Sutherland, 2 Neil Cochrane, 3 John Andress, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Fraser McKenzie, 6 Mike Coman (c), 7 Hamish Watson,  8 Nasi Manu.

Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Alex Toolis, 20 Cornell du Preez, 21 Sean Kennedy, 22 Will Helu, 23 Jack Cuthbert.

Ulster: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 Craig Gilroy, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Andrew Trimble, 10 Peter Nelson, 9 Paul Marshall; 1 Callum Black,  2 Rob Herring (c), 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 4 Dan Tuohy, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Roger Wilson, 7 Sean Reidy, 8 Nick Williams.

Replacements: 16 John Andrew, 17 Andrew Warwick, 18 Bronson Ross, 19 Lewis Stevenson, 20 Willie Faloon, 21 David Shanahan, 22 Ian Humphreys, 23 Rory Scholes.

Glasgow v Dragons

Australia international Taqele Naiyaravoro makes his Glasgow debut at Scotstoun while centre Alex Dunbar returns after seven months out with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

Aled Brew makes his first start of the season for the Dragons while Lewis Evans and Nic Cudd come into the back row.

Glasgow Warriors: 15 Rory Hughes, 14 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 13 Alex Dunbar, 12 Fraser Lyle, 11 Lee Jones, 10 Rory Clegg, 9 Grayson Hart; 1 Alex Allan, 2 Pat MacArthur, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Rob Harley (c), 5 Scott Cummings, 6 Hugh Blake, 7 Chris Fusaro, 8 Adam Ashe.

Replacements: 16 Fergus Scott, 17 Jerry Yanuyanutawa, 18 Mike Cusack, 19 Greg Peterson, 20 Simone Favaro, 21 Mike Blair, 22 Gregor Hunter, 23 Junior Bulumakau.

Newport Gwent Dragons: 15 Carl Meyer, 14 Ashton Hewitt, 13 Ross Wardle, 12 Adam Warren, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Sarel Pretorius; 1 Boris Stankovich, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 Brok Harris, 4 Nick Crosswell, 5 Rynard Landman (c), 6 Lewis Evans, 7 Nic Cudd, 8 Ed Jackson.

Replacements: 16 Rhys Buckley, 17 Phil Price, 18 Shaun Knight, 19 Matthew Screech, 20 Ollie Griffiths, 21 Luc Jones, 22 Charlie Davies, 23 Nick Scott.

Scarlets v Leinster

Canada's World Cup star DTH van der Merwe makes his Scarlets debut while Aled Davies and Steven Shingler form a new half-back pairing.

Fly-half Ross Byrne makes his first start for Leinster. He partners Isaac Boss, who makes his 125th appearance for the province.

Scarlets: 15 Aled Thomas, 14 Hadleigh Parkes, 13 Regan King, 12 Gareth Owen, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Steven Shingler, 9 Aled Davies; 1 Rob Evans, 2 Kirby Myhill, 3 Peter Edwards, 4 George Earle, 5 Tom Price, 6 Aaron Shingler, 7 James Davies, 8 John Barclay (c).

Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Phil John, 18 Will Taylor, 19 Tom Phillips, 20 Jack Condy, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Dan Jones, 23 Tom Williams.

Leinster: 15 Isa Nacewa, 14 Fergus McFadden, 13 Colm O'Shea, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Garry Ringrose, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Isaac Boss; 1 Michael Bent, 2 Bryan Byrne, 3 Marty Moore, 4 Ross Molony, 5 Tom Denton, 6 Dominic Ryan, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Dan Leavy.

Replacements: 16 James Tracy, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Jamie Hagan, 19 Tadhg Beirne, 20 Tony Ryan, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Cathal Marsh, 23 Mick McGrath.