Munster and Shannon prop Tony Buckley will leave the province at the end of the season to take up a one-year contract with English Premiership club Bath. The 26-year-old plumped to cross the Irish Sea having rejected a contract offer from Munster following recent negotiations.
It is a setback for Munster coach Declan Kidney as Buckley's recent form has been excellent. His massive physique - it doesn't camouflage the fact that he's a good athlete - and ability to play tighthead means he will be a significant loss for the Irish province and by extension a decent coup for Bath.
Having been hampered by injury for the past season and a half, Buckley has played five times for Munster in the present campaign and has been a feature of the team in recent outings, deputising for first-choice tighthead prop John Hayes. He made his debut for the province in a pre-season friendly against Northampton in 2005 but only made four further appearances that season, all from the bench.
His performances in recent matches underlined his potential and he must be a contender to make the Ireland squad for the Churchill Cup in England this summer. Better news for Kidney is the confirmation that Mick O'Driscoll and Tomas O'Leary have agreed contracts that will keep them in Munster for a further two seasons.
Donnacha Ryan, a 23-year-old prop, has also signed while fellow frontrow forward Darragh Hurley's contract has been upgraded from development to full. Keith Earls, a member of Ireland's Under-20 Grand Slam winning side has been given a development contract. The Munster squad for Saturday's Magners Celtic League game against Llanelli at Musgrave Park is expected to be released today.
Ulster coach Mark McCall has announced a strong team for their clash against the Border Reivers at Netherdale. The only major absentees are Paul Steinmetz and Matt McCullough but there are places in the match squad for Ireland Under-20 stars David Pollack and Darren Cave.
Pollack, who captained Ireland to their underage Grand Slam success, recently made his Ulster senior debut while centre Cave, a player of great promise, will join him among the replacements. Paddy Wallace will partner Andrew Trimble in the centre while Andrew Maxwell is named on the left wing.
Ulster's prospects of retaining their Celtic League title were improved by Leinster's defeat in Glasgow this weekend but they simply must get five points from their visit to Scotland on Friday night.
Leaders Leinster face a tricky away trip to the Dragons on Friday night and coach Michael Cheika has named Ireland Under-20 prop Cian Healy in an extended squad.
It's unlikely that the 19-year-old Clontarf player will make the match squad but Cheika enthused: "Cian is a good young player and we've got a few coming through right now. We feel it's the right time to give the younger lads who have come out of the under-20's some experience and maybe give them some game time.
"They've been looked after and have had the correct preparation and he'll begin to learn the intensity and pace of the game, even if he's not in the final 22. But I have put him in the squad based on his performances at age groups that are a little bit older than he is. I see him as a loose-head prop."
Cheika suggested Stephen Keogh and Bernard Jackman, who missed the Glasgow defeat, could be added to the squad depending on how they fare in their respective medicals today. His appraisal of the weekend setback was typically blunt.
"We tried to make too much happen and people take Glasgow too much for granted. They're very aggressive, but ultimately we lost three tries off (our own) indiscretions. You can't make mistakes like that. If we want to have eyes on winning the Magners League then you've got to cut down on mistakes.
"We do really want to win the tournament and you can see that by me naming our strongest team each week. Our fate is still in our own hands. We know that if we keep winning then we will win the league."
Meanwhile Ireland's Alan Lewis and Alain Rolland have been chosen to referee the two European Cup semi-finals. Lewis will take charge of Wasps clash with Northampton at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, on Sunday, April 22nd while 24 hours earlier Rolland will preside over Llanelli's clash with the Leicester Tigers at the Walker's Stadium.
Monkstown RFC voted 112-70 against a motion proposing unification between the club and Lansdowne at a recent meeting.FRIDAY
Celtic League: Connacht v Glasgow, Sportsground (6.30); Dragons v Leinster, Rodney Parade (7.10); Border Reivers v Ulster, Netherdale (7.30).
Under-19 World Cup: Ireland v South Africa, Ravenhill (7.30).
SATURDAY
Celtic League: Munster v Llanelli, Musgrave Park (7.30).
All-Ireland Senior Cup Final: Belfast Harlequins v Garryowen, Dubarry Park (4.0).
All-Ireland Junior Cup Final: Coleraine v Seapoint, Dubarry Park (2.0).
