International stars return to BKT URC action

Simon Thomas

A host of international stars return to action this weekend as the BKT URC moves into Round 3.

There are first league outings of the season for a number of British and Irish Lions and Springboks.

For their Friday night trip to the Scarlets, the unbeaten DHL Stormers welcome back two men who played key roles in South Africa retaining the Rugby Championship.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who scored a record 37 points in the victory over Argentina in Durban, starts at No. 10 while the versatile Damian Willemse lines up at full-back.

The Scarlets are also boosted by a returning ‘Bok in the shape of hooker Marnus van der Merwe, who featured as a replacement in last month’s stunning 43-10 victory over New Zealand in Wellington.

Darcy Graham

Fit-again Scotland winger Darcy Graham had been due to start for Edinburgh Rugby against Ulster Rugby last weekend, only for that game to be postponed due to Storm Amy. Now he will make a belated reappearance in Friday’s meeting with Munster at Limerick’s Thomond Park, with fellow Lions tourists Duhan van der Merwe and Pierre Schoeman also starting.

Munster have made ten changes in the wake of their victory over Cardiff Rugby, with URC Playmaker award winner Tom Farrell having his first outing of the campaign in the centre.

Moving on to Saturday, no fewer than five Lions make their season debuts for Leinster Rugby as the champions look to bounce back from defeats in their opening two matches of the season out in South Africa.

Prop Tadhg Furlong, hooker Ronan Kelleher, winger James Lowe, full-back Jamie Osborne, and flanker Josh van der Flier all start against the Hollywoodbets Sharks at the Aviva Stadium, with Van der Flier captaining the team from the openside.

The Hollywoodbets Sharks are also reinforced by returning internationals with wing Ethan Hooker and hooker Bongi Mbonambi, both involved just a week on from featuring in the victory over Argentina at Twickenham, while fellow South Africa stars Makazole Mapimpi and Vincent Koch are back on duty as well.

Brewery Field

The table-topping Vodacom Bulls have eight Springboks in their starting XV for the trip to Belfast, where they will take on Ulster.

Fly-half Handre Pollard makes his first appearance for the Pretoria-based franchise since re-joining from Leicester, while centre Canan Moodie and props Wilco Louw and Jan-Hendrik Wessels return after sharing in the 29-27 win over the Pumas at Twickenham.

There will be internationals aplenty on duty as the Ospreys entertain unbeaten Zebre Parma at Bridgend’s Brewery Field, their home for this season, with Wales’ summer skipper Dewi Lake at the helm.

It’s a fixture that will see the BKT URC come full circle in this, its 25th season in its various guises.

That’s because the Brewery Field was the setting for the very first Celtic League match – Bridgend v Pontypridd – on August 17, 2001.