RUGBY/News: Willie Anderson and Brian Hickey remain the front-runners to become the assistant coaches in Leinster and Munster respectively with announcements regarding both appointments to be made this week - in Anderson's case, possibly today
Leinster had hoped to confirm their new assistant coach yesterday, following Alan Gaffney's impending appointment as Munster coach, but were unable to do so. Anderson has another two years to go on a three-year contract with Dungannon and there was also confusion over whether it was necessary for him to move to Dublin, but the former Irish forwards coach and London Irish coach should be confirmed as Matt Williams' number two shortly.
Another former Irish forwards coach, Mike Brewer, has been confirmed as head coach at Old Belvedere. The one-time All Black, who has since had stints with West Hartlepool and L'Aquila in Italy, is back in Ireland and his appointment reaffirms the club's determination to reach division one of the AIB League after being edged out two seasons ago and failing to mount a sustained promotion push last season.
Despite being without a dozen players, Ulster coach Alan Solomons has selected a strong side for Friday's finale to the Guinness Inteprovincial Championship and what will also be Munster's final warm-up game for the European Cup final.
David Humphreys, Jonathan Bell, Adam Larkin, Shane Stewart, Russell Nelson, Jeremy Davidson, Paul Shields and their World Cup bound under-21s are amongst Ulster's absentees, but aside from home debuts for hooker Matt Sexton and back-rower Warren Brosnihan and a return to the team for Stanley McDowell, the encounter will be Paddy Johns' last game prior to retirement.
Munster will be missing Jim Williams and Anthony Foley when they confirm their line-up today, though Ronan O'Gara returned to full training this week.
ULSTER: B Cunningham; S Coulter, R Constable, S McDowell, T Howe; P Wallace, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, M Sexton, S Best, P Johns, G Longwell, W Brosnihan, R Nelson, A Ward (Captain). Replacements: N Brady, B Young, A Kearney, A Hughes, K Campbell, J Cunningham, J Topping.
