An emotional week in Europe will come to a head this weekend at Thomond Park, where Munster honor Anthony Foley in battle against Glasgow Warriors. The Americas will take no part beyond observance, with all of its active players situated elsewhere. Juan Martín Fernández Lobbe will start on the flank for Toulon with Samu Manoa on the bench as they play an AJ MacGinty-less Sale Sharks at AJ Bell Stadium on Friday to get this started.
Saturday has three games of interest for Americas fans. Castres host Northampton at Stade Pierre Antoine with Pumas backs Benjamín Urdapilleta and Horacio Agulla both in the run-on side, while Patricio Fernández is a reserve for Clermont against Bordeaux. The hot ticket is at Allianz Park where Saracens continue with Juan Figallo, Chris Wyles, and Marcelo Bosch in their match against Scarlets. DTH van der Merwe will be lined up across from Wyles on the wing.
Two matches on Sunday have Americas players, but one stands firmly above the other. The lesser of the two has Zebre playing Connacht with a pair of Argentine props on the bench in Bruno Postiglioni and Guillermo Roan. Shane O’Leary provides inside back cover for Connacht on the bench. A far more enticing match sees Marcos Ayerza return to the Leicester Tigers side to start against Racing 92 at the fortress of Welford Road. Manuel Carizza and Juan Imhoff will hope to inspire the visitors to a famous victory.