URC, Round 10 - teams and predictions

Today at 09:15 AM

FRIDAY PREVIEW: The United Rugby Championship returns this weekend and at the halfway stage every game is vital for teams with play-off aspirations.

And a Top Eight finish also carries with it a seat at Europe's top table - Championship[ Cup qualification.

There is just one game on Friday - Ospreys versus Benetton.

Due to a severe weather warning, the encounter between Glasgow Warriors and Connacht has been rescheduled to take place on Sunday, January 26.

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Ospreys won four scrum penalties (top of the URC pops) and one free kick in Round Nine. They also won one penalty against the feed.

Ospreys have thrown (164) and won (150) the most line-outs so far this season; their line-out throw success rate is 91.5 percent (first).

Justin Tipuric has made 37 clean line-out catches (second).

Morgan Morris has made 129 carries into contact (first), 138 post-contact metres (first), and 23 dominant carries (third) so far this season.

For Benetton Rhyno Smith (seven) and Tommaso Menoncello (six) beat the second- and third-most defenders, respectively. Benetton beat more defenders (35) than any other team.

Manuel Zuliani won the joint-most turnovers (three) in Round Nine - all were jackals (first). He has won 13 turnovers (first) so far this season, 11 of which have been jackals (first).

Alessandro Garbisi kicked the most contestable (six) and retained (five) kicks in Round Nine. Tomas Albornoz also made five contestable (second) and three retained (second) kicks.

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"Benetton are a hugely competitive team and are always in and around the top eight of the URC," Ospreys coach Mark Jones said.

"Last weekend's game against La Rochelle has proven they're one of the best sides in the competition.

"We've prepared for the best possible Benetton side they have available, and we won't be underestimating them. Both teams know it's a big fixture."

Benetton coach Marco Bortolami said: "The chosen formation is the result of the availability of the players: four players are returning from the national team camp to cover the positions we needed.

"It's a competitive team and I'm sure it will reach the objective we set for this match.

"For the younger guys, like Zanandrea, it's a good opportunity to show their qualities."

Prediction

Teams

Ospreys: 15 Jack Walsh, 14 Dan Kasende, 13 Evardi Boshoff, 12 Keiran Williams, 11 Keelan Giles, 10 Owen Williams, 9 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 8 Morgan Morris, 7 Justin Tipuric (captain), 6 James Ratti, 5 James Fender, 4 Will Spencer, 3 Tom Botha, 2 Lewis Lloyd, 1 Garyn Phillips.
Replacements: 16 Ethan Lewis, 17 Cam Jones, 18 Ben Warren, 19 Harri Deaves, 20 Morgan Morse, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Tom Florence, 23 Iestyn Hopkins.

Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Ignacio Mendy, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Marco Zanon, 11 Matt Gallagher, 10 Tomas Albornoz, 9 Andy Uren, 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Siua Maile, 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman (captain), 4 Giulio Marini, 3 Enzo Avaca, 2 Agustin Creevy, 1 Thomas Gallo.
Replacements: 16 Bautista Bernasconi, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Giosué Zilocchi, 19 Riccardo Favretto, 20 Simon Koroiyadi, 21 Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22 Giuliano Avaca, 23 Federico Zananadrea.

Date: Friday, January 24
Venue: Swansea Stadium
Kick-off: 19.35 (20.35 Italian time; 19.35 GMT)
Referee: Ian Kenny (Scotland)
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales), Craig Evans (Wales)
TMO: Colin Brett (Scotland)