Owens to referee Magners League Grand Final

Posted on May 25, 2011

Wales’ top referee Nigel Owens will take charge of the all-Irish Magners League Grand Final between Munster and Leinster at Thomond Park on Saturday, 28 May (Kick-Off 5.05pm)

It will be the 39-year-old Owens’ 75th Magners League contest and means a quick return to Limerick after controlling the Play-Off game between Munster and the Ospreys.

One of the elite 10 officials named for refereeing duty at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand, where each will referee at least four Pool matches, Owens has been one of the world’s top officials for a number of years and is no stranger to a Munster v Leinster head-to-head.

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Ospreys squad to face Aironi

Posted on May 5, 2011

The Ospreys need a win and the management team at the Liberty have named a strong side to face Aironi at Stadio Luigi Zaffanella, including Dan Biggar who requires just two points to become only the second Ospreys player to reach 500 in the Magners League.

Head Coach, Sean Holley, commented:

“It’s gone down to the wire and we are left in a position where we have to go out and give everything on Friday night and hopefully, get our reward. It’s important that we concentrate on ourselves, that the boys know their roles and responsibilities, that they carry them out to the best of their abilities and we don’t allow ourselves to get distracted by what may be happening elsewhere.

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Aironi team to face Ospreys

Posted on May 5, 2011

Aironi head coach Rowland Phillips has named the team that will face Ospreys on Friday evening in the team’s the final match of the season.

Ospreys will be looking to extend their season by catching a crucial win that can qualify the Magners League champions to the play offs.

The biggest news in the Aironi line-up is in the back row, where the suspension of Nick Williams (who has collected his third yellow card of the season) has forced the coaching staff to shift Gareth Krause to No 8. It will be the final match of the South African’s career, as he announced his retirement last month. Josh Sole takes the openside flanker spot, with the young Joshua Furno moving from the second row to the blindside.

The pack is completed by an experienced second row wof Internationals Marco Bortolami and Quintin Geldenhuys, while the front row sees Fabio Staibano and Alberto De Marchi at props, with Luigi Ferraro hooking.

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Ulster side to take on Dragons

Posted on May 5, 2011

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has named his starting XV to face Newport Gwent Dragons in their decisive Magners League clash on Friday night (KO 7.05pm).

Props Tom Court and Declan Fitzpatrick have returned to full fitness and will pack down alongside skipper Rory Best in the front row. Their return to action sees Paddy McAllister and Jerry Cronin named among the replacements.

Willie Faloon suffered a shoulder injury in training and is unavailable for selection so Robbie Diack is promoted from the bench to play number 8. As a result, Pedrie Wannenburg moves to blindside flanker and Chris Henry switches to the openside flank. TJ Anderson, who will join Connacht in the summer, is given a position on the bench as back row cover.

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Rennie returns as Edinburgh hunt three in a row

Posted on Apr 21, 2011

Edinburgh head into their final home game of the Magners League season against Dragons on Friday night (kick-off 7.30pm) looking to secure a third straight Murrayfield triumph.

The capital club have seen off Ospreys and Aironi in the last two matches to be played at the national stadium, and have the added incentive of seeking to gain revenge for the defeat they suffered at Rodney Parade back on February 12.

That match was Nick Scrivener’s first in charge, and the interim head coach is determined to give the Edinburgh support another performance and result to be proud of before heading back to Australia at the end of the campaign.

He said: “It’s vitally important that we build on the many good things we saw against Aironi, both to finish the season as strongly as possible and to make sure our fans have something to celebrate come Friday night.

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