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Weather permitting this weekend will see the Guinness Pro 14 Championship – Week 18 taking place. Recent activity has seen matches postponed due to heavy snow in the UK and Ireland. Scheduled for Week 18 are a full round of sevens matches. The following preview details the involvement of players from the Americas.
On Friday Connacht play host to Edinburgh. Both clubs have had Americas players over the years but neither do this season. This will change fro Edinburgh next season with Juan Pablo Socino moving to the Scottish capital from Newcastle.
Another player departing the the Newcastle Falcons is DTH van der Merwe, in fact the Canadian international has already done so. On Friday he makes his playing return for the Glasgow Warriors on the left wing against Zebre. Two Argentine players will feature for the Italians. Eduardo Bello starts at tighthead while Serafin Bordoli will play out of position at outside center.
The Southern Kings welcome Benetton Treviso to Port Elizabeth on Saturday. Italo-Canadian Robert Barbieri starts at No8 while Pumas cap Tomás Baravalle will play hooker.
In Wales the Cardiff Blues host Ulster. Playing right wing for the home side will be USA captain Blaine Scully. A potential teammate of his for the future is Callum Black. The Worcester-bound prop is eligible to play for the USA. He will feature as a replacement for Ulster on Saturday.
Across in Swansea the Ospreys host title favorites Leinster. Starting for the hosts on the right wing will be Jeff Hassler. The Canadian is to be a vital part of his country’s Repechage campaign to qualify for RWC 2019 later this year. A USA representative at junior level is Hanno Dirksen. He starts on the left wing for the Ospreys.
