Pitchside with Ferris: Munster v Leinster, Exeter v Saracens and more

Pro 14:

Munster v Leinster, Sat 28th, 18:00

If this interpro lives up to the lastmeeting between these two then we should have a fantastic match. At Thomond Park last time out we had yellowcards, young guns like Fineen Wycherley body slamming Jonny Sexton… alongwith some outstanding rugby played.

Munster ran out 26-17 winners but it was amatch full of drama and passion, just what you would expect between these tworivals. Leinster remain unbeaten in all completionsthis season but surely this will be their toughest test to date? Munster, offthe back of a super win at The Sportsground against Connacht, will fancy theirchances.

With a few of their Internationals backafter a weekend off; they should be close to full strength, and hopefully wewill see the Munster captain Peter O’Mahony leading his team out after missingthe last two games through injury.

He will be relishing this opportunity, butso might some of the young guns for Leinster. Will Connors, Max Deegan andScott Penny will back themselves once again to lead from the front and givetheir Leinster team the platform they will need to win this game.

However, I could see a few more changesbeing made to this Leinster team by head coach Leo Cullen. He makes a goodhabit of keeping his squad happy and this is due to everyone getting anopportunity on the big stage. And his players have delivered so far thisseason.

Prediction: Leinster have leaked a lot of tries over the last two weeks, theirdefence will need to be much stronger if they are to win this match.

A tight affair but something tells me this Leinster team want to keep this unbeaten run going. Munster fans won’t like me saying this but I’m predicting a Leinster Win.

Ulster v Connacht, Fri 27th, 19:35

Ulster should be big favourites for thismatch and rightly so. Scoring 42 points against Leinster away from home lastweek takes some doing.

The last time Leinster conceded more pointsthan this was on 23rd January 2016 vs Wasps… it just goes to show that Ulsterreally are starting to find their groove. And with a lot of front-line players due tocome back into the Ulster starting line-up, it makes Connacht’s task a wholelot harder.

Connacht, however, were the last team tobeat Ulster in Belfast and that might spur them on to put in a big performanceaway from home. I’m not sure a big performance is going to get the job done forConnacht due to Ulster being a match for anyone these days.

Connacht always play with heart and desire,and they will give Ulster a game, but they won’t get the win.

Prediction: A huge marker is going to be laid down by Ulster at home. I see a comprehensive win by more than 10 points and for Connacht to run out of steam come the last quarter.

Premiership Rugby

Exeter v Saracens, Sun 29th, 15:00

The Gallagher Premiership seems to bringthe best out of these two sides. The two finalists from last year are goinghead-to-head over the Christmas period and I hope it lives up to its bigbilling.

The Exeter fans who will be turning out intheir thousands at a sold-out Sandy Park are hoping for the same. Last week Exeter went to the wounded animalin Leicester Tigers. They were the better team on the day but left it late tosecure the bonus point win at Welford Road.

The Tigers did cause the Chiefs problemsand Saracens will be looking to do the same this weekend. The London-based clubare still in a points deficit after accepting the 35 point deduction due tobreaching the rules of the salary cap.

Looking at the league table is very misleadingbecause Saracens are the form team, but yet they are at the foot of the table.

Will we see Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Vunipolabrothers, Elliot Daly…or will we see a Saracens team that is strategicallyselected for their long- term goal this season; to not get relegated?

Prediction: Exeter Chiefs are sitting pretty at the top of the league. Four wins from six and top of the lot on 20 points. I believe they will target this game and plant another seed of doubt into the Saracens set-up of just how hard a task they have on their hands this year.

Team selection is key to the outcome ofthis game. But if it goes the way I think it will, then I would be backingExeter to get the win and remain the favourites for this year’s GallagherPremiership title.

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year!

Many thanks,

Stephen Ferris