Celtic League: The sentiment regarding the three provincial sides that named teams yesterday for the second round of their Celtic Cup campaigns seems to be leave well alone, the view holding that teams need to find their stride. Tinkering more than wholesale changes are the order of the day.
Leinster, after a drab 9-9 draw with Cardiff last week, make just one adjustment to the side to face Ulster at Ravenhill on Saturday. Coach Declan Kidney replaces Brian O'Riordan at scrumhalf with Brian O'Meara, O'Riordan dropping to the bench. Otherwise the team remains intact with second row Leo Cullen again captaining the side.
Given Ulster's vigorous opening to their campaign, there was little Mark McCall was expected to do following his side's win over Edinburgh and he has named an unchanged back line for the meeting with Leinster on home ground.
Again Tommy Bowe and Andrew Maxwell roam the flanks with the formidable centre pairing of vice-captain Paul Steinmetz and Jonny Bell again together. Paddy Wallace at outhalf, Paul Doak at nine and Bryn Cunningham sweeping behind at full back complete the unit.
McCall has made two changes in the forwards, both of them precipitated by players becoming available again. Simon Best has been released by Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan and begins the game in the front row at loosehead prop while Roger Wilson has passed a fitness test, his ankle strong enough to allow him to fill the number eight position. As a result Ronan McCormack and Campbell Feather move to the bench where Matt McCullough returns following injury.
Ulster are unbeaten at Ravenhill Road in any competition for 21 matches since Edinburgh Rugby beat them there 19-18 following a 79th-minute Brendan Laney penalty goal on September 6th, 2002. Ominously for Leinster, they have won their last three matches against fellow provinces.
Munster will attempt to rebound from their opening defeat to Ospreys but there is little selective repercussions from coach Alan Gaffney. John Kelly makes a return to the wing for the first time this season to face Connacht on Saturday in Musgrave Park at the later 8.05 p.m slot. Kelly is selected on the right flank with Shaun Payne moving from there to outside centre where he forms a new partnership with Jason Holland.
Last year's Dubarry Park epic between the two teams ended in a 3-0 victory for Munster, the lowest score line in Celtic League history.
Connacht will not name their side until today following their opening victory over Glasgow Rugby.
At grass-roots level AIB is to extend its sponsorship of the All-Ireland League for a further season. The bank has sponsored the league now for the past seven seasons and has agreed to the new shorter-term deal to give the IRFU and clubs time to come up with a new format for season 2005 /2006.
"Until such time as agreement was reached as to the format of the league going forward, it was difficult for the bank to commit to any longer period than a one-year sponsorship deal, but once a new format is agreed between the IRFU and the clubs, the bank will then review the sponsorship going forward," said AIB general manager John Hickey.
Hickey said they would support the league for season 2004/2005 at the same level as in previous years but their focus would shift to more direct support for the clubs.
LEINSTER (v Ulster): J Norton; J McWeeney, C Warner, D Quinlan, G Brown; D McAllister, B O'Meara; E Byrne, G Hickie, P Coyle, L Cullen (capt), B Gissing, A McCullen, S Jennings, D Dillon. Replacements: R Nebbett/A O'Donnell, D Blaney, C Potts, V Costello, B O'Riordan, K Lewis, C Kilroy
ULSTER (v Leinster): B Cunningham; T Bowe, J Bell, P Steinmetz, A Maxwell; P Wallace, N Doak, S Best, P Shields, R Moore, M Mustchin, R Frost, A Ward (capt), N Best, R Wilson. Replacements: N Brady, R McCormack, M McCullough; C Feather, Campbell, Mallon, S Young.
MUNSTER (v Connacht): C Cullen; J Kelly, S Payne, J Holland, A Horgan; P Burke, M Prendergast; F Roche, J Flannery, G McIlwham; S O'Connor, T Hogan; S Keogh, D Leamy, J Williams (capt). Replacements. J Blaney, E McGovern, D Ryan, J O'Connor, E Reddan, J Storey, R Henderson.
