Pro12: Top of the table clashes
After experiencing mixed results in European competition, the team's focus once again returns to the Pro12, with a run of four rounds over the festive and new year period.
It's extremely close at the top of the table, with just one point separating the top four teams, each of them facing fellow playoff hopefuls in this round with third-placed Glasgow Warriors playing log-leaders Munster, followed by second-placed Ospreys taking on fourth-placed Ulster on Saturday.
Both home teams have built up impressive home records, and a loss by any side could see them drop out of the playoff zone.
Leinster, the best placed Pro12 team in Europe sitting second to Harlequins only on points difference in pool 2 of the European Champions Cup, face Connacht on Friday night. Both teams lie just outside the playoff zone in 5th and 6th place, respectively, with only one point separating them on table.
A win for either team is essential for their end of season aspirations.
Edinburgh and the Blues are both in action on Friday night hosting Benetton Treviso and Scarlets respectively, whilst Dragons wrap up the round with the visit of Zebre on Sunday.
The next four weekends could go a long way to establishing the pattern for the rest of the season, with a maximum 20 points on offer for a winning run, and with bumper crowds expected over the festive period, there is plenty of great action on offer to detract from the turkey and tinsel.
We look at all the Round 10 matches!
Friday 19 December
Cardiff v Scarlets
(Cardiff Arms Park - Kick-off: 21.35; 21.35 GMT)
The teams:
Cardiff Blues: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Cory Allen, 12 Adam Thomas, 11 Lucas Amorosino, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Lewis Jones, 8 Josh Navidi, 7 Sam Warburton, 6 Josh Turnbull, 5 Lou Reed, 4 Filo Paulo, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Kristian Dacey, 1 Gethin Jenkins (captain).
Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Sam Hobbs, 18 Taufa'ao Filise, 19 Macauley Cook, 20 Manoa Vosawai, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Tom Isaacs.
Scarlets: 15 Steffan Evans, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Regan King, 12 Scott Williams (captain), 11 Michael Tagicakibau, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 James Davies, 6 Aaron Shingler, 5 Johan Snyman, 4 Jake Ball, 3 Samson Lee, 2 Emyr Phillips, 1 Rob Evans.
Replacements: 16 Kirby Myhill, 17 Wyn Jones, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Lewis Rawlins, 20 Will Boyde, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Steven Shingler, 23 Hadleigh Parkes.
Referee: Dudley Phillips
Assistant referees: Neil Hennessy, Sean Brickell
TMO: Gareth Simmonds
Leinster v Connacht
(RDS - Kick-off: 21.35; 21.35 GMT)
The teams:
Leinster: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Zane Kirchner, 13 Luke Fitzgerald, 12 Noel Reid, 11 Dave Kearney, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Isaac Boss, 8 Jamie Heaslip (captain), 7 Shane Jennings, 6 Kevin McLaughlin, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Tahdg Furlong, 2 Aaron Dundon, 1 Michael Bent.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Maks Van Dyk, 19 Jack Conan, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Luke McGrath, 22 Cathal Marsh, 23 Gordon D'Arcy.
Connacht: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Danie Poolman, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Matt Healy, 10 Jack Carty, 9 Kieran Marmion, 8 George Naoupu, 7 Eoin McKeon, 6 John Muldoon (captain), 5 Aly Muldowney, 4 Quinn Roux, 3 Rodney Ah You, 2 Tom McCartney, 1 Denis Buckley.
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Ronan Loughney, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Ultan Dillane, 20 Willie Faloon, 21 Caolin Blade, 22 Craig Ronaldson, 23 Darragh Leader.
Referee: Ian Davies
Assistant referees: Leo Colgan, Andy Brace
TMO: Marshall Kilgore
Edinburgh v Treviso
(Murrayfield - Kick-off: 21.35; 21.35 GMT)
The teams:
Edinburgh: 15 Jack Cuthbert, 14 Dougie Fife, 13 Sam Beard, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Greig Tonks, 9 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 8 David Denton, 7 Roddy Grant, 6 Mike Coman (captain), 5 Ben Toolis, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 John Andress, 2 Neil Cochrane, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.
Replacements: 16 James Hilterbrand, 17 Grant Shiells, 18 Willem Nel, 19 Fraser McKenzie, 20 Stuart McInally, 21 Grayson Hart, 22 Tom Heathcote, 23 Joaquin Dominguez.
Treviso: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Simone Ragusi, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Sam Christie, 11 Ludovico Nitoglia, 10 Joe Carlisle, 9 Alberto Lucchese, 8 Dean Budd, 7 Francesco Minto, 6 Simone Favaro, 5 Corniel Van Zyl (captain), 4 Tomas Vallejos, 3 Matteo Muccignat, 2 Davide Giazzon, 1 Matteo Zanusso.
Replacements: 16 Albert Anae, 17 Josè Novak, 18 Romulo Acosta, 19 Marco Fuser, 20 Mat Luamanu, 21 Enrico Bacchin, 22 Ruggero Trevisan, 23 James Ambrosini.
Referee: David Wilkinson
Assistant referees: David Changleng, Sam Grove-White
TMO: Iain Ramage
Saturday, 20 December
Glasgow v Munster
(Scotstoun - Kick-off: 16.40; 16.40 GMT)
The teams:
Glasgow: 15 Peter Murchie, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Richie Vernon, 12 Peter Horne, 11 DTH van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Niko Matawalu, 8 Josh Strauss (captain), 7 Tyrone Holmes, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Leone Nakarawa, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Fraser Brown, 1 Gordon Reid.
Replacements: 16 Dougie Hall, 17 Alex Allan, 18 Jon Welsh, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Ryan Wilson, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 James Downey, 23 Tommy Seymour.
Munster: 15 Johne Murphy, 14 Andrew Conway, 13 Pat Howard, 12 Denis Hurley, 11 Simon Zebo, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Robin Copeland, 7 Sean Dougall, 6 Peter O'Mahony (captain), 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Billy Holland, 3 Stephen Archer, 2 Kevin O'Byrne, 1 John Ryan.
Replacements: 16 Niall Scannell, 17 Eusebio Guinazu, 18 BJ Botha, 19 Donncha O'Callaghan, 20 Dave O'Callaghan, 21 Duncan Williams, 22 Ian Keatley, 23 Felix Jones.
Referee: Leighton Hodges
Assistant referees: TBC
TMO: TBC
Ospreys v Ulster
(Liberty Stadium - Kick-off: 19.15; 19.15 GMT)
The teams:
Ospreys: 15 Dan Evans, 14 Hanno Dirksen, 13 Ashley Beck, 12 Josh Matavesi, 11 Eli Walker, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Rhys Webb, 8 Tyler Ardron, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 James King, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 4 Rynier Bernardo, 3 Dmitri Arhip, 2 Scott Baldwin, 1 Marc Thomas.
Replacements: 16 Sam Parry, 17 Gareth Thomas, 18 Daniel Suter, 19 Dan Lydiate, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Martin Roberts, 22 Sam Davies, 23 Andrew Bishop.
Ulster: 15 L Ludik, 14 T Bowe, 13 D Cave, 12 L Marshall, 11 M Allen, 10 I Humphreys, 9 R Pienaar, 8 R Wilson, 7 C Ross, 6 R Diack, 5 F vd Merwe, 4 D Tuohy, 3 D Fitzpatrick, 2 R Best (captain), 1 A Warwick.
Replacements: 16 R Herring, 17 C Black, 18 B Ross, 19 A O'Connor, 20 S Reidy, 21 P Marshall, 22 S Olding, 23 P Nelson.
Referee: Neil Patterson
Assistant referees: Nigel Owens, Chris Williams
TMO: Tim Hayes
Sunday, 21 December
Dragons v Zebre
(Rodney Parade - Kick-off: 18.00; 18.00 GMT)
The teams:
Dragons: 15 Tom Prydie, 14 Matthew Pewtner, 13 Ross Wardle, 12 Jack Dixon, 11 Hallam Amos, 10 Jason Tovey, 9 Jonathan Evans, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Nic Cudd, 6 James Thomas, 5 Rynard Landman (captain), 4 Andrew Coombs, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Thomas Rhys Thomas, 1 Phil Price.
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Owen Evans, 18 Lloyd Fairbrother, 19 Cory Hill, 20 Lewis Evans, 21 Richie Rees, 22 Dorian Jones, 23 Tyler Morgan.
Zebre: 15 Hendrik Daniller, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Giulio Bisegni, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Kelly Haimona, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Andries Van Schalkwyk, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Filippo Cristiano (captain), 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Dario Chistolini, 2 Andrea Manici, 1 Andrea Lovotti.
Replacements: 16 Oliviero Fabiani, 17 Andrea De Marchi, 18 Luciano Leibson, 19 George Biagi, 20 Jacopo Sarto, 21 Luciano Orquera, 22 Giulio Toniolatti, 23 Guglielmo Palazzani.
Referee: Gary Conway
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse, Simon Rees
TMO: Paul Adams