Weekend Preview

There is a huge amount of international rugby going ahead this weekend, and while most eyes will be keenly focused on them,  we are going to look ahead to the biggest games the club side of the sport has to offer.

Ospreys vs Saracens

Pro12 leaders Ospreys welcome premiership high flyers Saracens to the Liberty Stadium on Friday night, in what is without doubt the game of the round from the LV cup competition. With both sides looking unrecognisable due to international disruption, it is tough to call which way this one will go. The home side have a number of stalwarts in the line up, the likes of Tom Habberfield and Richard Fussell well known to the Ospreys faithful. Travelling to a side who remain unbeaten in the Pro12 is no easy task, and the visiting Sarries will be prepared for all out war. Naming a settled side after last weekends one score victory over Quins, the visitors will be confident that they can come out ahead in a match in which they will, unusually for Saracens, enter as underdogs.

Clermont vs Stade Francais

Its second plays fourth in the Top 14 on Saturday as Stade Francais travel to the Stade Marcel Michellin in search of what would be a rare away win. Clermont will be relatively unaffected by the internationals at play, boasting a squad put together from all corners of the globe. Aurelien Rougerie continues in the centre, while Brock James enters the fray at 10 ahead of Camille Lopez who is involved with the French national set up. Zac Guildford somewhat surprisingly starts from the bench after his try scoring exploits across the past two rounds of European rugby. Stade too boast quite a multi national side, and name a strong side for the visit to Clermont. Digby Ioane returns to the side after a recent spell amongst the replacements, while the likes of Scott LaValla return to a strong Parisian pack.