1. Battle of the 10s
WITH JONATHAN SEXTON ruled out of the opening fixture of the Six Nations, and a risk to throw straight into the mixer against France after 12 weeks out, there is a real opportunity for an out-half to step up and take on the mantle.
Source: Presseye/Russell Pritchard/INPHO
Unsurprisingly, Ian Madigan has been handed a sudden promotion into the number 10 jersey.
There is a welcome return for Paddy Jackson who started last season as Sexton’s understudy, while Ian Keatley and JJ Hanrahan must also see this as an opportunity to show their worth in both short and the long term as a World Cup looms.
Though Madigan may be the current front-runner for Schmidt at present, the coming weeks will be a test of whether he can cope with being number one (at least for his country, if not yet consistently with his club).
2. Ulster aim to get back on track
Two trips to Wales amounted to two fairly embarrassing defeats for Neil Doak’s men. On home turf they will be a better side, but they will meet a Connacht team with infinitely more purpose than the one they put to the sword on the same ground late last season.
Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
With the New Year taking the northern province to Leinster, this becomes a must-win fixture if they wish to avoid getting sucked closer to the Scarlets in mid-table rather than the Irish pack chasing Ospreys and Glasgow.
Having lost their opening two Champions Cup fixtures, they had the opportunity to take a French approach to Europe and throw everything at the league. Yet they go into this fixture against in-form Connacht on the back of three defeats in four with the Westerners’ just four points behind them.
3. Leinster with a point to prove in Limerick
Victories over Harlequins and Connacht have certainly eased the pressure around the RDS, however, the play-off chase is a congested place at present. They can’t drop lower than fifth in this round of fixtures no matter what the result, yet the venue and the opponent should provide all the motivation needed.
Source: Billy Stickland/INPHO
Having made a habit of beating Munster in recent years, the southern province have won two of the last three meetings. Win on Shannonside tomorrow and they will not only bridge the gap to their last win in Thomond Park in 2013, but also frog-leap their most fierce rivals in the play-off hunt.
4. Munster chase the double
After tasting victory in the Aviva this season Anthony Foley can rubber stamp his authority in the province by guiding his side to a first league double over Leinster since the 2008/9 season – the season the balance of power shifted as Leinster won their first European trophy.
With both the Ospreys clash with Scarlets and the 1872 fixture in Scotland not kicking off until Saturday, a win at ‘fortress Thomond’ would also lift the southern province to second place in the Pro12 overnight.