Magners League - Round 7 Preview

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Paddy Wallace has returned to the Ulster squad © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours Magners League

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

The latest round of Magners League action sees players vying for consideration as the November Test matches approach. For the Welsh regions it's backs-to-the-walls time as their international contingent are already in to their preparations for the visit of New Zealand.

The Scarlets travel to bottom of the table Connacht on Friday as both teams search for vital points at the Sportsground.

With Scarlets' six Welsh internationals on pre-November Test camp duty, coach Nigel Davies has been forced to call on some fresh faces. As a result, Rhys Priestland starts at fly-half for Stephen Jones after playing against Newport Gwent Dragons. Morgan Stoddart makes his first Scarlets appearance since suffering a knee injury in March against Edinburgh.

Lions star Jones joins fellow Wales squad members Matthew Rees, Dafydd Jones, Martin Roberts, Jonathan Davies and Mark Jones on the absentees list.

Richie Pugh takes over from Dafydd Jones at openside flanker, Ken Owens replaces Rees, Tavis Knoyle takes over scrum-half duties from Martin Roberts, Rob Higgitt fills Davies' centre spot and Stoddart fills Mark Jones' wing spot. Regan King and Rhys Thomas remain long-term injuries.

Fifth-place Ospreys have rotated their squad ahead of Friday's Magners League visit of fourth-placed Glasgow. The visitors, in contrast, have named the same side that defeated struggling Connacht last time out. Fergus Thomson and Peter Murchie return from injury. Click Here for a full preview of our Game of the Week.

Second-placed Leinster will be looking to take over top spot from Ulster at the weekend when they host a struggling Cardiff Blues side short on wins and confidence.

Leo Cullen, Cian Healy, Shane Horgan and Eoin Reddan return to the Leinster squad for the team's final home Magners League game before Christmas. Shaun Berne and Luke Fitzgerald, try scorers in last Saturday's defeat by Ulster, are also included alongside Jonathan Sexton.

Blues coach Dai Young hopes to resurrect the team's fortunes after victory over the Ospreys last weekend. Wales duo Gethin Jenkins and Martyn Williams are rested for the game despite recent returns from injury. The pair are two of 10 Blues players in the Wales training squad. Gareth Cooper, Jamie Roberts, Tom Shanklin, Tom James, Leigh Halfpenny, Bradley Davies, Andy Powell and Sam Warburton are the others on the sidelines this week.

Robin Sowden-Taylor is out injured and is replaced by Ben White and Gareth Thomas is fit to return in the centre alongside summer signing Gavin Evans.

Leinster have won their last eight matches at the RDS in the Magners League, while the Blues have lost their last three away games in all competitions.

Table-toppers Ulster travel to champions Munster and face a side hungry to climb from an unaccustomed sixth in the table.

Paddy Wallace and Neil McComb are back in the Ulster squad. Wallace was rested for the weekend win over Leinster while lock McComb is recalled - centre Jonny Shiels drops out of the 26-man squad.

Munster have slipped to successive defeats in the Magners League, but at home the champions continue to be formidable with ten straight victories at their two grounds in all competitions.

Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat has recalled Ally Hogg to lead the side against Newport-Gwent Dragons.

Captain Simon Cross, Ross Rennie, David Callam and Scotland lock Jim Hamilton are all still missing through injury with Jim Thompson and Simon Webster still on their way back to full fitness. Mike Blair must make do with a place on the bench as the scrum-half jersey goes to Greig Laidlaw.

Fourth-placed Dragons have injury worries of their own with captain Tom Willis again out after aggravating his calf injury in the defeat by Scarlets. Summer signing Matthew Watkins could be in line for a full debut after coming off the bench in that match.

Autumn Test squad players Dan Lydiate and Luke Charteris could be available at the discretion of Wales coach Warren Gatland although Charteris is likely to be rested ahead of the New Zealand game on November 7.

Props Phil Price, Ben Castle, Ali McKenzie and Nigel Hall are all on the injury list at Rodney Parade, along with Joe Bearman, who hopes to be back for the Christmas programme.

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