With the international window on the horizon, the BKT United Rugby Championship is beginning to take shape.
To the surprise of nobody, Leinster have set the pace through the opening five weeks. One bonus-point win has followed another, and Leo Cullen's side have the maximum of 25, ahead of their meeting with the only other unbeaten side, the Lions, at Aviva Stadium (5.15pm, live on RTÉ2).
It would be a surprise for the leaders to slip up against the South Africans, particularly with several frontline Ireland internationals available, including captain Caelan Doris. Even if they do get caught by the tourists, it’s unlikely to make or break their season.
By late Saturday night, we’ll be one-third of the way through the regular season, enough of a sample size for teams to have a good gauge on what their targets are for the rest of the season.
For Munster, Connacht and Ulster, it’s a vital weekend as they cap off this opening block of six, although one of those teams faces a very different challenge to the other two.
Connacht and Ulster both take on Welsh opposition, with Connacht at home to the Dragons and Ulster away to Cardiff, and both will be favourites as they look to maintain steady starts.
Munster, on the other hand, face a daunting trip to the Sharks (3pm) in South Africa as they look to avoid a third successive defeat.
Just as they did in the last two seasons, Munster have been slow out of the gates. A win against Connacht at home in Round 1 looked to have settled them into the campaign, but a shock defeat against Zebre in Italy a week later undid so much of that hard work.
Eleventh in the table and already 14 points back from Leinster, that gap could grow even bigger if they end this block of games with just two wins from
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