As the festive period enters full swing there is lots of rugby to keep an eye on with derbies throughout Europe and players looking to stake a claim for a place in the NatWest 6 Nations.
With just over a month until the Championship begins, time is running out to impress the respective coaches but the busy Christmas period should provide plenty of opportunity to shine. SCOTLAND
All eyes in Scotland will be focused on BT Murrayfield on Saturday where Edinburgh host Glasgow Warriors in the first leg of the 1872 Cup.
It’s been a great week for Scottish rugby, with Jonny Gray and Fraser Brown signing new deals with Glasgow, and both start for the Warriors.
Dave Rennie’s side are ten from ten in the league so far this season, but a derby always has a very different feel, and form will go out the window.
Brown’s match-up with Edinburgh hooker Stuart McInally – who started all three Tests for Scotland in November – will be fascinating.
And the same can be said of the second row battle, Gray and former Scotland Under-20s skipper Scott Cummings up against international pair Ben Toolis and Grant Gilchrist.
In the absence of the injured Stuart Hogg, the full-backs will also be looking to impress, 20-year-old Blair Kinghorn for Edinburgh and veteran Ruaridh Jackson for Glasgow. ENGLAND
It’s a landmark weekend for Chris Robshaw as he makes his 250th appearance for Harlequins on their trip to Newcastle on Saturday.
The England flanker led Quins to their first Premiership title, and will join fellow England internationals Mike Brown and Nick Easter – now retired – in reaching 250 appearances for the club in the professional era.
Another player to watch out for this weekend will be Henry Slade, who featured for England in all three November Tests, and shifts to full-back against Northampton Saints.
Usually a centre or a fly-half, Slade will step into the No.15 jersey due to injuries and will be keen to show off his versatility.
Elsewhere Wasps take on Gloucester without England duo Elliot Daly and Nathan Hughes, both of whom will face an extended spell on the sidelines and now face an anxious wait to be ready for the NatWest 6 Nations.
Finally on Christmas Eve Manu Tuilagi will continue his return from injury as he is named to start for Leicester Tigers, who welcome Saracens to Welford Road. ITALY
Azzurri centre Tommaso Castello is back for Zebre in their Italian derby against Benetton on Saturday, leading the side on his return.
He will find himself up against veteran centre Alberto Sgarbi in Treviso and will be looking to maintain the form that saw him start all three Autumn Internationals.
Also back for Zebre is No.8 Renato Giammarioli, who was called up by Conor O’Shea for the first time in November and will be targeting a debut in the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations.
Like Castello, he will be matched up against an experienced campaigner, with Robert Barbieri starting at No.8 for Benetton.
IRELAND
It’s been quite a week for Irish rugby with CJ Stander and Tiernan O’Halloran committing their futures to Munster and Connacht respectively, while Paul O’Connell is set to work with the Ireland Under-20s ahead of their Under-20s Six Nations campaign.
On the pitch the interprovincial derbies begin on Saturday when Connacht entertain Ulster, with O’Halloran starting at full-back for the home side.
His opposite number will be Jacob Stockdale, so impressive on the wing in November, is looking to add another string to his bow.
He is part of an intriguing all-Irish international back three with Craig Gilroy and Tommy Bowe.
The action continues on Tuesday when Munster play host to Leinster at Thomond Park. WALES
All the focus in Wales will be on the Boxing Day derbies as the Scarlets host the Ospreys and the Dragons entertain Cardiff Blues.
The Blues were given some good news this week with Matthew Morgan signing a new contract at the club, while the Dragons snapped up experienced hooker Richard Hibbard from Gloucester.
At Parc y Scarlets it should be a cracker of a game between the Scarlets and the Ospreys, both of whom picked up ten points from their European double headers.
The Scarlets will be able to call on Aaron Shingler, who is fit again and hoping to catch the eye with Wales set to be without Sam Warburton and Taulupe Faletau for at least the start of the NatWest 6 Nations.
He will be up against a hugely experienced pair of flankers in Dan Lydiate and Justin Tipuric as the Ospreys look to carry their European form into the league.
FRANCE
The action kicks off on Friday night in France at the U Arena in Paris – where Les Bleus took on Japan last month.
This time around it’s Racing 92 playing their first game in their new ground against Toulouse, with a number of interesting match-ups.
Yoann Huget starts on the wing for the visitors against a pair of international colleagues, Virimi Vakatawa and Teddy Thomas getting the nod for Racing.
The home side will also have Maxime Machenaud starting at scrum-half, going head-to-head with Antoine Dupont, with whom he toured South Africa in the summer.
Elsewhere on Saturday Clermont are expected to get back Arthur Iturria, the international second row who been out all season through injury, although France duo Judicaël Cancoriet and Damian Penaud are both set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up knocks.
Finally in France this week, Frédéric Michalak announced his decision to retire at the end of the season. His Lyon team take on high-flying Montpellier on Saturday.
