Celtic League/Team news: Centre Kieran Lewis makes a return to competitive rugby on Sunday for Leinster in the Celtic League game against Cardiff Blues after almost a year on the sidelines with a cruciate knee injury. The former Ireland under-21 player has been named in the replacements alongside internationals Victor Costello and Brian O'Meara.
Coach Declan Kidney has kept faith with the side that drew 11-11 with Worcester last weekend. Brian O'Riordan is partnered at half-back with David McAllister while Leo Cullen captains the side. Kidney has named nine substitutes in total with two vacancies to be confirmed in the coming days.
Just two changes to the side that was heavily defeated last week in Wales suggests that Mark McCall will look for a much improved performance as Ulster prepare to meet Edinburgh Rugby in Scotland in their first Celtic League match of the year on Saturday.
Paul Steinmetz replaces the injured Shane Stewart (knee) in the centre and will make his first Ulster start since breaking his leg last April, while young winger Andrew Maxwell replaces James Topping, who picked up an ankle injury in last weekend's game against the Dragons.
Despite having 12 players unavailable for selection through injury and international status, McCall remains upbeat about his first competitive match in charge.
"We were all dissatisfied with the performance against the Dragons last Saturday. We'd had a very demanding training camp prior to our trip, with a lot of travel, which was hardly ideal preparation for a game. Excuses aside though, we were still unhappy ," he said yesterday.
Connacht have delayed selecting a starting line-up and have instead named a 23-man squad for their Celtic League opener against Glasgow at The Sportsground on Saturday. There remains an injury concern over forward Niall O'Brien. Coach Michael Bradley will reduce the squad to 22 when he knows the status of his players.
It is likely to be a tough start for Connacht as Glasgow came from 14 points down to draw 28-28 in the corresponding fixture last season, a late try from Alan Bulloch levelling the scores. Mark McHugh almost tied up the match on that occasion, his drop-goal effort rebounding off the post.
McHugh remains on the injury list for this outing, in which Andrew Farley will lead the team in the Celtic League for the first time this season. Bernard Jackman is unavailable for selection because of international commitments while Dan McFarland, along with McHugh, is ruled out of the weekend encounter with a long-term injury.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, J Bell, P Steinmetz (vice-capt), A Maxwell; P Wallace, N Doak; R McCormack, P Shields, R Moore, M Mustchin, R Frost, A Ward (capt), N Best, C Feather. Replacements: B Young, N Brady, G Longwell, G Brown, K Campbell, S Mallon, S Young.
LEINSTER: J Norton; J Mc Weeney, C Warner, D Quinlan, G Brown; D McAllister, B O'Riordan; E Byrne, G Hickie, P Coyle, L Cullen (capt), B Gissing, A McCullen, S Jennings, D Dillon. Replacements: From S Barretto, AN Other, D Blaney, C Potts, N Ronan, V Costello, B O'Meara, K Lewis, AN Other.
CONNACHT: Forwards: A Clarke, S Knoop, P Bracken, J Fogarty, H Bourke, C Short, A Farley, M Carroll, J O'Sullivan, P Neville, M Lacey, J Muldoon. Backs: C O'Loughlin, T Tierney, E Elwood, P Warwick, J Downey, D Yapp, D Slemen, T Robinson, C McPhillips, M Mostyn, N O'Brien.
