Halfpenny’s ready to hit headlines in Galway game
IT’S another great weekend for fans of the oval-ball game, but what can we expect? Here’s our headline-makers
Dragons take another step forward to equal last season’s winning tally
Bernard Jackman finished his first season at the helm of the Welsh region with a paltry return of just two victories in the Guinness PRO14 – Zebre and Connacht at home.
To put that into context, today’s opponents Zebre, who finished bottom of Conference A, finished with seven.
This season, South African strugglers Southern Kings have already been seen off, albeit nervously, and the visit of Zebre on Saturday gives the men of Gwent a golden opportunity to match the 2017-18 tally before September is out.
The Dragons won’t need reminding that the Italians have already picked up two wins of their own this season - home to the Kings and last weekend against the Blues - but if the Gwent side can’t see off one of weaker sides in the competition on home soil, then it is hard to see anything other than a long, tortuous slog ahead.
Jackman knows that he won’t be judged on heavy away defeats to Leinster, like the one inflicted on his side in Dublin last weekend.
But the Dragons have to deliver in front of their own supporters if they are to convince anyone that the dark days are over.
George North continues his free-scoring run at the Ospreys
After Storm Ali and Storm Bronagh, there’s a gale-force North wind ready to make another impact in Swansea tonight.
The Wales wing has hit the ground running since his arrival from Northampton, scoring a brace of tries against Edinburgh in round one, then adding another in the victory over the Cheetahs a week later.
He was one of 12 players rested by head coach Allen Clarke for last weekend’s heavy defeat to Munster in Cork, but is back in the ranks for tomorrow’s home clash with Benetton.
The Italians’ performance in Llanelli will have sent out the warning signs, so don’t expect complacency from the Ospreys.
But with Zebre to come in Parma next week before a mouthwatering derby against the Scarlets, the Ospreys have an opportunity to steal a march on their Conference A play-off rivals.
With North on the scoresheet and the Ospreys back to winning ways, the mauling in Cork can be quickly forgotten.
Leigh Halfpenny to boot Scarlets to victory in Galway
And to maintain the autumnal theme, the Scarlets are heading to the wild west coast of Ireland to take on Connacht this weekend.
Conditions at the Sportsground are
a test for any goal-kicker, so it’s a good job the West Walians have arguably the best in the world in their ranks in Leigh Halfpenny
There was a memorable incident in Galway 10 years ago when Leinster fly-half Felipe Contepomi struck a close-range penalty straight through the uprights only for the wind to blow it back through the posts and into play.
The gusts coming in off the Atlantic may not be that extreme in Galway this weekend, but Halfpenny is set to be a key figure, and not just with the boot.
The Wales and Lions full-back has started the season impressively.
Last week against Benetton, he was solid under the high ball and produced a couple of breaks which set up tries for Kieron Fonotia and Gareth Davies. It will be tough going for the Scarlets, but they could just have enough to sneak it.
Danny Cipriani gives two-finger salute to Eddie Jones
Not literally, of course, although you never know with Cipriani.
Eddie Jones, like Warren Gatland with Wales, doesn’t select for mass approval, but it is fair to say the English rugby public and media have been less than enamoured with his decision to leave out one of the in-form players in the Gallagher Premiership.
With the dust having settled on his unfortunate nightclub episode in Jersey, Cipriani has been sublime for his new club Gloucester in the early weeks of the season.
But it hasn’t been enough to convince the man who matters, with Jones having opted to pick Owen Farrell and George Ford as his two No. 10s for a training camp in Bristol next week.
To add a bit of spice, the rugby gods have thrown up a Saracens versus Gloucester fixture at Allianz Park on Sunday, where Farrell and Cipriani will go head to head at fly-half.
Whatever transpires in that corner of north London, Cipriani will be in the headlines.
How he would love to prove the England boss wrong.