The second of the Six Nations break weekends, and a chance to take stock in the BKT United Rugby Championship as we reach two-thirds of the way through the regular season.
In a rarity, all four Irish provinces have home advantage this weekend, with Leinster and Munster looking to solidify their play-off spots, while Connacht and Ulster aim to stay in touch with the top half of the table.
Munster kick things off at home to Edinburgh on Friday night, with the Scottish side looking to inflict a very rare URC defeat on the province in Cork.
On Saturday, Leinster host Cardiff at 3pm at Aviva Stadium, with Leo Cullen's side still unbeaten through 15 games this season in all competitions.
After back-to-back URC defeats, Ulster are in must-win territory as they welcome the Scarlets to Belfast at 5.15, while Connacht can close in on the top half of the table if they get the better of Benetton in Galway at 7.35pm.
TV
TG4 and Premier Sports will show live coverage of Munster v Edinburgh (Friday, 7.35pm) and Connacht v Benetton (Saturday, 7.35pm) while all games are shown live on URC.tv.
ONLINE
We'll have live scores updates, reports and reaction from from all four games.
WEATHER
Conditions look favourable for all four provinces this weekend.
On Friday night in Cork, Munster v Edinburgh is forecast to have a dry and cold night, around 6C, with moderate winds.
Conditions in Dublin, Belfast and Galway are expected to be similar on Saturday, with the afternoon kick-off for Leinster v Cardiff around 8C, and colder for Ulster and Connacht later in the evening.
For the first time since October, Munster are back in Cork, which has become a fortress for them in recent seasons.
The province have won 10 games in a row at Virgin Media Park, although Friday's visitors Edinburgh are the last side to leave Cork with a win, back in 2019.
That was Edinburgh's last win in this fixture, Munster winning each of their last five meetings. The Scottish side are also without a win away from home in the URC since the end of April.
Fresh off the back of confirming their new head coach, Clayton McMillan, this week, there's a good mood around Munster as they look to solidify their play-off spot with a third win in a row.
While Ian Costello's side are without a number of their internationals who have remained with Ireland's Six Nations squad, they have been able to call upon Calvin Nash and John Hodnett, while Alex Nankivell has returned from 10 weeks out with a hamstring injury.
Munster: Ben O'Connor; Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Shay McCarthy; Billy Burns, Ethan Coughlan; Josh Wycherley, Niall Scannell (capt), John Ryan; Evan O'Connell, Fineen Wycherley; Tom Ahern, John Hodnett, Brian Gleeson
Replacements: Diarmuid Barron, Mark Donnelly, Stephen Archer, Ruadhán Quinn, Alex Kendellen, Paddy Patterson, Tony Butler, Seán O'Brien
Edinburgh Rugby: Wes Goosen; Matt Currie, James Lang, Mosese Tuipulotu, Ross McCann; Ross Thompson, Ben Vellacott (capt); Boan Venter, Ewan Ashman, Paul Hill; Marshall Sykes, Sam Skinner; Luke Crosbie, Ben Muncaster, Magnus Bradbury
Replacements: Paddy Harrison, Robin Hislop, D'arcy Rae, Glen Young, Hamish Watson, Ali Price, Cammy Scott, Mark Bennett
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
With a 10-point lead at the top of the URC table, Leinster are cruising towards home advantage and a top seed for the playoffs later this year.
Leo Cullen's side are unbeaten across both competitions, with 11 wins from 11 in the URC, although they were given a major scare two weeks ago by the Ospreys in Swansea.
The form-book would point towards them maintaining their 100% record against a Cardiff side who have lost three URC games in a row since beating the Dragons on St Stephen's Day.
The Welsh side - coached by Wales interim boss Matt Sherratt - have only beaten Leinster once in their last 19 meetings, that win coming in Cardiff in January 2022, while they haven't won in Ireland since a 2017 victory away to Connacht.
Cardiff have lost on both previous occasions they have visited Aviva Stadium, both in the Champions Cup, in a pool game in 2004 and in the 2012 quarter-final.
Team news: Friday 12pm
Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (FIR)
After successive defeats to Italian opposition saw Ulster drop to 14th in the URC table, head coach Richie Murphy has declared his side to be in "must-win" territory if they're to salvage a play-off and Champions Cup spot for next season.
While only Zebre and Dragons are below Ulster in the table, the province are only four points back from eighth place, which just so happens to be held by this week's opponents, Scarlets.
It's the second away trip to Ireland in a row for Dwayne Peel's side, who were comfortably beaten by Munster last time out. Indeed, the Welsh region haven't beaten an Irish province since defeating Connacht in Marsh 2021.
Ulster have won their last five meetings with the Scarlets dating back to 2018, while they haven't lost at home to Welsh side since the Llanelli side won 21-20 in Belfast in 2016.
Team news: Friday 12pm
Referee: Sam Grove-White (SRU)
A bonus-point win against Cardiff last time out ended a run of four consecutive URC defeats for Pete Wilkins's side, who have very little wiggle room in their bid to secure Champions Cup rugby next season.
Benetton won both meetings of these teams last season in Treviso, scoring a late try to defeat Connacht in the URC 11 months ago, while they went on to hammer the province a few weeks later in the quarter-final of the Challenge Cup.
Benetton beat Ulster last time out, but their away form is still an issue. They haven't won in Ireland since a 2018 victory against Leinster in April 2018, while their only previous win in Galway came in 2011.
Team news: Friday 12pm
Referee: Ben Breakspear (WRU)
FULL LIST OF ROUND 11 FIXTURES, RESULTS AND STANDINGS
