Promotion-relegation play-off: Lansdowne have announced a strong team ahead of tomorrow's AIB All-Ireland League promotion-relegation play-off against UCC on the back pitch at Lansdowne Road. There may be no Shane Horgan, Gordon D'Arcy or David Holwell, all of whom would be eligible but unavailable to the Dublin club, but there's still plenty of quality.
Team manager Brian Corrigan confirmed that both Horgan and D'Arcy expressed an interest in playing but the internationals have been told to rest ahead of Leinster's Celtic Cup quarter-final the following weekend. Lansdowne, though, will be able to call upon four Leinster contracted players in Felipe Contepomi, John Lyne, Aidan McCullen and Niall Ronan.
There are doubts surrounding the fitness of centre and Ireland under-21 international Greg Stafford (hamstring) and secondrow Stephen O'Connor (Achilles' tendon). Ross Byrne and the 6ft 10in (2.08 metre) Irish under-21 secondrow Devin Toner stand by.
The club are hoping to maintain their proud record in Division One but find themselves up against a UCC side who finished third in Division Two playing entertaining rugby. They too have a number of injury concerns and won't select until lunchtime today.
Definitely out is fullback Denis Hurley and Ireland under-19 international Evan Ryan. One young player, though, who will command interest is 19-year-old former New Zealand schools international Jeremy Manning. Respected observers have already singled out the teenager as a player of outstanding potential.
He is contracted to Munster and his provincial education could begin next season when he is let loose on the Celtic League. His preoccupation this weekend, though, will be on helping the students edge past Lansdowne and he'll hope to bring out the best in underage internationals Tom Gleeson and Richard Lane.
UCC coach Ian Sherwin is looking forward to a tussle of contrasting styles.
"It's a one-off game and to some extent the pressure will be on the side from the higher division. We did target promotion and now we have a chance to achieve that objective.
"In these winner-take-all encounters anything can happen. Even though Lansdowne have good pace out wide in players like Fiachra Baynes, I wouldn't expect them to move much ball outside 10. They've a big, strong pack and, in looking to beat us, most sides tend to exploit any physical advantage. I wouldn't be surprised to see them kick a lot of ball to the corners.
"We'll be trying to speed up the game and not get involved in a dogfight. We have the ability to score from anywhere and their players will be encouraged to play the game in that vein."
LANSDOWNE: J Murphy; F Baynes, K Kennedy, G Stafford, I Hopkins; F Contepomi, S Whelan; J Lyne, K Corrigan, E Bohan; A Maher, S O'Connor; S Rooney, N Ronan, A McCullen.
UCC (from): V Soden, F Gately, R Quinn, K Murray, T Ryan, D Ryan, A Laffan, B Holland, R Noonan, R Geoghegan, H O'Flynn, M Essex, F Murphy, D O'Leary, J Manning, G Williams, M Kingsbeer, T Gleeson, D O'Kane, C Murphy, D Fitzgerald, R Lane, P Hurley.
