With the South African teams playing derby games later in the month, there are four matches scheduled on Saturday starting with Edinburgh against Cardiff Rugby at the DAM Health Stadium.
Mike Blair’s Edinburgh can leapfrog Leinster with a win and strengthen their Scottish/Italian Shield prospects in the process.
Staying north of the border, Glasgow Warriors welcome the Ospreys to Scotstoun with the Welsh side looking to respond to their derby loss at Scarlets on New Year’s Day.
Munster also seeks to bounce back from their NYD reverse at Connacht when Ulster head to Thomond Park.
Edinburgh Rugby v Cardiff Rugby (08/01/2022 @ 17h00)
Edinburgh’s only loss in any competition this season came via a last-gasp Leonardo Marin drop goal in a 28-27 defeat at Benetton in Round 2 of the URC. The Scottish outfit is also yet to taste defeat at their new stadium with the last three meetings between the sides all being won by the home team.
Cardiff has won three of their five URC matches this term but have not prevailed away from home since a 29-28 win over Scarlets in Llanelli in May’s Rainbow Cup clash. The Welsh club has triumphed in 20 of their 34 encounters against Edinburgh but their sole success in their last six visits to Scotland came at Murrayfield in February 2019.
Glasgow Warriors v Ospreys (08/01/2022 @ 19h15)
Glasgow Warriors have won four of their last six URC matches and can jump above the Ospreys into fourth with another victory. The Warriors have been beaten just once by a Welsh opponent since October 2019, losing by just a point to the Dragons at this venue in December 2020.
Ospreys don’t enjoy travelling to Scotland having tasted victory just once since March 2017, against Edinburgh in October 2020, while their sole win in eight visits to Scotstoun came in November 2016. The Welsh side has been victorious in any competition just once since October and has won only one of their previous five meetings with Glasgow.
Munster Rugby v Ulster Rugby 08/01/2022 @ 21h35)
Munster is nine points behind leaders Leinster, albeit with a game in hand, after suffering a second URC loss of the season when going down at Connacht on New Year’s Day. But the Munstermen have won five successive matches at this venue since losing to Connacht in the Rainbow Cup in May.
Ulster has won 17 and drawn two of their 39 meetings with Munster and both of their defeats in any competition this season came on their travels.
The home side has won the last six encounters between these teams but Dan McFarland’s men have not prevailed in Limerick since a 19-17 success in May 2014.
Scarlets v Dragons (Postponed Covid19)
