Magners League team news:Stephen Ferris and Paddy Wallace have both been ruled out of Ulster's Magners League meeting with Glasgow on Friday night after damaging ankle ligaments on international duty.
The Ireland pair were forced from the Croke Park pitch during the win over South Africa last Saturday and, despite sitting out the visit of Glasgow to Ravenhill, will hope to be fit for the back-to-back Heineken Cup meetings with Stade Francais.
Stade, who lead Ulster in Pool Four, arrive in Belfast on Saturday week with Brian McLaughlin’s side due to make the trip to Brussells the following weekend.
Having welcome his international contingent back after a five-week hiatus, the Ulster coach is looking to pick up where they left off.
“We had a team bonding day yesterday, which was a great success,” McLaughlin said. “The guys have been separated for five weeks, so it was important to get them back into focus for Glasgow as a team, as quickly as possible.
“The aim for training this week is to ensure we’re at our optimum level on Friday night, working as one unit, to produce a top level performance. You’ve always got to be wary of Glasgow; they are a big hitting side, and are playing very well this season. If we play to our optimum level we should be okay.”
The province also moved today to quash rumours regarding the future of prop BJ Botha.
The South African had been considering returning to his homeland at the end of the current season in order to boost his World Cup prospects, but Ulster maintain the 29-year-old is contracted to them until the summer of 2011.
“Brian (McLaughlin) and the coaching staff see BJ as one of the cornerstones of what is a young Ulster team and he is very much a part of what we are trying to achieve in terms of bringing the team through,” explained David Humphreys, Ulster’s operations director.
“He is enjoying his time at Ulster Rugby and plays a hugely important role for us.”
Leinster coach Michael Cheika has afforded his Irish contingent a well-earned break as they prepare for the crucial Heineken Cup meetings with Llanelli.
The likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Jamie Heaslip and Cian Healy will all sit out Sunday’s Magners League meeting with the Dragons although CJ van der Linde, who played against Ireland at Croke Park, is included in the initial selection.
With so many frontliners absent, defensive coach Kurt McQuilkin is aware how tough the trip to Wales will be.
“The Dragons are the top Welsh club in the Magners League at the moment so they will be high on confidence coming into Sunday’s game,” he said. “They have a fairly steady squad in terms of players who were missing during the international window and with the
likes of Luke Charteris having a strong season to date, they will be difficult opponents.
“We’re under no illusions as to how difficult Sunday’s game will be as we have lost our last two games in Rodney Parade. . . . the Dragons have lots of danger men in their team. Joe Bearman is a very good loose forward while James Arlidge has a good boot and can dictate the tempo superbly. I have noticed a big improvement in the Dragons this year. They’re a lot more patientand their tails will be up, which is a dangerous prospect for us.”
Ulster squad (v Glasgow):Tom Court, Bryan Young, Declan Fitzpatrick, Adam Macklin, Justin Fitzpatrick, Andy Kyriacou, Nigel Brady, Ed O'Donoghue, Ryan Caldwell, Dan Tuohy, David Pollock, Willie Faloon, Chris Henry (Capt), Tamaiti Houra, Thomas Anderson. Clinton Schifcofske, Simon Danielli, Timoci Nagusa, Jonny Shiels, Niall O'Connor, Ian Humphreys, Darren Cave, Ian Whitten, Paul Marshall, Isaac Boss, Jamie Smith
Leinster squad (v Dragons): Mark Flanagan, John Fogarty, Trevor Hogan, Bernard Jackman, Stephen Keogh, Ronan McCormack, Jack McGrath, Malcolm O'Kelly, Mike Ross, Rhys Ruddock, Dominic Ryan, Paul Ryan, Richardt Strauss, Devin Toner, CJ van der Linde. Shaun Berne, Girvan Dempsey, Chris Keane, David Kearney, Michael Keating, Simon Keogh, Ian Madigan, Fergus McFadden, Ian McKinley, Niall Morris, Eoin O'Malley
