Team Announcements Round 6

The teams for Friday night's Round 6 fixtures of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship have been named with all details of match officials and broadcast information below.

TEAM NEWS HEADLINES

#BENvBUL

• Dewaldt Duvenage set to captain the Benetton side
• David Kriel starts on the wing for the Vodacom Bulls

#CONvSCA

• Cian Prendergast returns as he is named in starting XV for Connacht
• Flanker Dan Thomas, who has joined on a two-match loan deal from Bristol Bears, is named in the starting XV, while Steff Evans and Steff Thomas return

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20

Benetton v Vodacom Bulls

Stadio Monigo, Treviso – KO 17.30 IRE & UK / 18.30 ITA & SA

Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU, 67th league game)

AR 1: Filippo Russo (FIR)  AR 2: Alex Frasson (FIR)

TMO: Olly Hodges (IRFU)

Live on: Eurosport, Discovery +, Premier Sports, SuperSport & URC.tv                 

Benetton: Giacomo Da Re, Ignacio Mendy, Ignacio Brex, Marco Zanon, Mattia Bellini, Tomas Albornoz, Dewaldt Duvenage (CAPT), Ivan Nemer, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Scott Scrafton, Federico Ruzza, Manuel Zuliani, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Thomas Gallo, Tiziano Pasquali, Niccolò Cannone, Toa Halafihi, Manfredi Albanese, Tommaso Menoncello, Marcus Watson

Vodacom Bulls: Kurt-lee Arendse, David Kriel, Stedman Gans, Harold Vorster, Wandisile Simelane, Chris Smith, Embrose Papier, Gerhard Steenekamp, Bismarck Du Plessis, Francois Klopper, Janko Swanepoel, Ruan Nortje, Marcell Coetzee (CAPT), Marco van Staden, Elrigh Louw

Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Simphiwe Matanzima, Mornay Smith, Walt Steenkamp, WJ Steenkamp, Zak Burger, Morne Steyn, Stravino Jacobs

Benetton Head Coach Marco Bortolami said: “(Vodacom) Bulls base their game on the domination of static phases and for which it will be important to be solid. They play a very direct game of winning the advantage line so we will have to win collisions to block their play. Discipline will be very important in order not to give them chance to play in our 22m.”

Connacht v Scarlets

The Sportsground, Galway – KO 19.35 IRE & UK / 20.35 ITA & SA

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (SARU, 11th league game)

AR 1: Morné Ferriera (SARU) AR 2: Padraic Reidy (IRFU)

TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)

Live on: TG4, BBC Wales, Premier Sports, SuperSport, Discovery + & URC.tv

Connacht: Tiernan O’Halloran, John Porch, Byron Ralston, David Hawkshaw, Mack Hansen, Jack Carty (CAPT), Kieran Marmion, Denis Buckley, Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Niall Murray, Leva Fifita, Cian Prendergast, Conor Oliver, Paul Boyle

Replacements: Dylan Tierney-Martin, Jordan Duggan, Jack Aungier, Oisín Dowling, Jarrad Butler, Colm Reilly, Cathal Forde, Alex Wootton

Scarlets: Leigh Halfpenny, Johnny McNicholl, Steff Evans, Jonathan Davies (CAPT), Ryan Conbeer, Sam Costelow, Kieran Hardy, Steff Thomas, Ken Owens, Harri O’Connor, Jac Price, Tom Price, Josh Macleod, Dan Thomas, Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Kemsley Mathias, WillGriff John, Morgan Jones, Iwan Shenton, Dane Blacker, Rhys Patchell, Corey Baldwin

Connacht Director of Rugby Andy Friend said: "We've had a tough start to the season, but if we can pick up a couple of wins in these last two rounds before the November break, then we'll put ourselves in a much better position heading into the next block. Scarlets are always a difficult team to face as they have quality players across the park. There's nearly always one score separating the two sides at full-time, so it'll no doubt be a tight affair. We need to ensure we bring the intent and physicality that we've shown in the last two matches, as well as improving our ability to finish the multiple opportunities that we're creating. If we can do that, then we'll put ourselves in a great position to obtain the result that we're all chasing."

Scarlets Head Coach Dwayne Peel said: “It is a big challenge ahead. With Connacht, the last two weeks have shown us that they have come out of the blocks hard against Munster and Leinster. It is going to be a big physical challenge for us. We need to plan for that and make sure when we get opportunities we take them. The fundamentals of the game when you go there are so important, the ability to field kicks, your ability to cover back field, kick well and physicality, that is the challenge. If we can get on top of the fundamentals we give ourselves a chance.”