THE PRO12 BOOTROOM
ULSTER v ZEBRE
TEAM NEWS: Ulster switch four after last Sunday’s brutal late surrender at Cardiff, with Rob Herring returning as skipper in an all-changed front row with props Kyle McCall and Ricky Lutton. Rory Scholes (right) comes in on wing in the back line, forcing a number of positional rejigs. Zebre alter six after their home loss to Leinster — three changes in each sector.
LAST THREE MEETINGS SEPT 2014 – Zebre 13 Ulster 6. SEPT 2014 – Ulster 33 Zebre 13. DEC 2013 – Ulster 13 Zebre 6.
VERDICT: Ulster. WHY: This fixture completes an exhausting run of 16 games in 16 weekends for Ulster whose jolting defeats to Scarlets and Cardiff will have them on their guard to ensure they can remain in the hunt for a semi-final place. The story of the night, however, should be a run for Ian McKinley off the bench. The goggles-wearing Dubliner was prevented by the IRFU from featuring in Zebre’s trip to Galway last October but that eyewear ban has now been lifted.
EDINBURGH v CONNACHT
TEAM NEWS: Connacht change four from their home win over Ospreys, with Ireland prop Nathan White and Quinn Roux bolstering their pack and Kieran Marmion and Danie Poolman the backline call-ups. Edinburgh also switch four after their home victory over Scarlets, Matt Scott, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Rory Sutherland returning from Test duty while Chris Dean also comes in at centre.
LAST THREE MEETINGS OCT 2015 – Connacht 14 Edinburgh 9 JAN 2015 – Connacht 13 Edinburgh 16 SEPT 2014 – Edinburgh 13 Connacht 14
VERDICT: Connacht. WHY: Edinburgh’s tenacity in seeing out their narrow win over Scarlets shows this won’t be easy for Connacht, but the new-year resurgence of Pat Lam’s table-toppers means momentum is firmly with them. They are oozing confidence, regardless of the challenge put in front of them, and the return of tighthead White should help their scrum win the match-defining forwards battle.