Magners League - Round 2 Preview

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Glasgow's Ruaridh Jackson has been ruled out of action for three months © Getty Images

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Edinburgh and Glasgow top the table

Tournaments/Tours Magners League

Teams Cardiff Blues | Connacht | Dragons | Edinburgh | Glasgow | Leinster | Munster | Ospreys | Scarlets | Ulster

There were shocks aplenty on the opening weekend of the Magners League so a number of sides will be intent on kick-starting their campaigns in round 2.

Our Game of the Week sees Munster and Cardiff Blues, two sides who surprisingly tasted defeat in round one, lock horns in Limerick but there are a number of other sides with something to prove.

Heineken Cup holders Leinster will certainly be hoping to bounce back with a win after suffering a shock 18-16 defeat away to the Scarlets last Saturday night. And Michael Cheika's men will be confident of doing just that as this weekend they host the Dragons, a side who have lost on all six of their previous visits to Dublin.

However, the Dragons ended the opening round as the early league leaders on the back of their resounding 22-6 victory over Ulster last Sunday and Paul Turner's men will not be lacking in confidence.

Mike Ross and Shaun Berne will make their home debuts for Leinster, with Gordon D'Arcy starting on the bench having played for the Lions this summer. Leo Cullen leads the side as always, while Chris Keane and Jonny Sexton are at halfback.

Wales lock Luke Charteris leads the Dragons in the absence of former All Black hooker Tom Willis. Steve Jones deputises for Willis with Ali McKenzie and Nigel Hall completing the front-row. Robert Sidoli makes his first start for the region in the second-row.

Edinburgh, meanwhile, began their campaign with a thrilling 22-21 victory over the Blues in Cardiff. The Welsh capital has always been a happy hunting ground for the Scots but it was a notable victory all the same and they will be brimming with self-belief ahead of the visit of Connacht on Friday night.

The Westerners turned in a characteristically spirited showing in their 19-12 defeat to the Ospreys but will hardly be relishing their trip to Murrayfield - given that it is now four years and eight games since the last registered a win over Edinburgh.

Connacht's cause has not been aided by the fact that head coach Michael Bradley has been forced into three changes to the side which started against the Ospreys last weekend.

Behind the scrum, summer signing Niva Ta'auso has been ruled out with a hand injury so Troy Nathan has been drafted into the Westerners' midfield. In the pack, meanwhile, props Brett Wilkinson (finger) and Robbie Morris (back) have also been sidelined through injury so into the front row Ronan Loughney and Jamie Hagan, at loose-head and tight-head respectively.

Edinburgh, meanwhile, have been lifted by the news that captain Mike Blair has been cleared to make his return to competitive rugby. The British & Irish Lion has been struggling with a throat infection of late but has been given the green light to take a seat on the bench for his side's first home game of the new season.

As for the aforementioned Ospreys, they will be looking to make it two wins from two when they host Ulster at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Welsh showed impressive mettle in holding off Connacht in Galway and will be targeting a five-point haul from their clash with an Ulster side who performed dreadfully in Newport.

Indeed, the province's operations director, David Humphreys, said that the Ulstermen's display against the Dragons was simply unacceptable. It will be fascinating to see how the players respond to that tongue-lashing.

James Hook and Mike Phillips start in tandem at halfback for the Ospreys, who welcome Tommy Bowe on to the bench after his exertions with the British & Irish Lions over the summer. Another notable inclusion among the replacements is Wales flanker Jonathan Thomas, who will make his first appearance for seven months after a groin injury.

Clinton Schifcofske replaces Bryn Cunningham at fullback for the visitors with Ed O'Donoghue starting in the second-row due to an injury to Ryan Caldwell. Darren Cave starts in the centre alongside Ian Whitten.

It will be also interesting to see how the two sides responsible for the biggest upsets of last weekend, Glasgow and Scarlets, fare against one another at Firhill on Sunday evening.

The Warriors turned in a mightily impressive showing against Munster but they have been rocked by the loss of Ruaridh Jackson for three months, the promising young back having injured his shoulder in the act of scoring the game's only try shortly after coming on as replacement. So, while the Glasgow starting line-up remains unchanged, Colin Gregor has been drafted into the match 22 to fill the void left by Jackson.

The Scarlets, meanwhile, have no such injury worries but Scarlets head coach Nigel Davies has made two changes to which started against Leinster nonetheless.

Deacon Manu takes over at tight-head prop from Rhys Thomas, while Dafydd Jones has been preferred to Simon Easterby at blindside flanker. The latter has been included amongst the replacements, though. Summer signing Gareth Maule, formerly of the Dragons, has also been named on the bench.

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