Ulster
ULSTER have made three changes to the side which lost to Saracens last week for Sunday's imposing renewal of hostilities away to Toulouse. Jonathan Bell, ruled out at short notice last Sunday with a hamstring strain, returns in place of try-scorer Shane Stewart, Russell Nelson is restored to the backrow after recovering from a calf strain and Mark Blair comes in for Paddy Johns, who is ruled out with a neck injury.
An interesting newcomer among the replacements is former UCD player Aidan Kearney, the 6ft 7in lock-cum-back-rower who was part of Ireland's under-19 World Cup winning team two years ago having joined Dungannon during the close-season.
ULSTER (v Toulouse): G Henderson; J Topping, R Constable, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys (capt), B Free; J Fitzpatrick, R Weir, S Best, M Blair, G Longwell, R Nelson, T McWhirter, A Ward. Replacements - N Doak, N Malone, S Stewart, C Boyd, P Shields, A Kearney, D Topping.
Connacht
Connacht have made six changes to the side which slumped to a 45-0 defeat at Neath last week for their even more imposing trip to Montferrand. An ERC Ltd decision not to recognise the British work permit of their new South African-born recruit Wayne Munn effectively makes him an overseas player, thus obliging Connacht to perm two from four foreigners for the remainder of their campaign.
Munn has been omitted, as has South African hooker Marnus Uijs, to make way for the European Shield debut of centre Shane Stephens and the return of his fellow Kiwi and Connacht captain Mark McConnell after the completion of his seven-week suspension.
Robert Lee thus comes in at full back and Mick Smyth drops to the bench, while Joe McVeigh replaces Uijs and Damien Browne is also demoted to the replacements. In two further changes in the back-row, Johnny O'Connor returns at open side with Ian Dillon switching to the blindside in the absence of the injured Junior Charlie while Colm Rigney returns at number eight instead of Gavin Schoeman. Eric Elwood's recovery from a dead leg is some consolation while there could be a seventh change at scrum-half, pending a match-day decision between Jim Ferris or Bryan Shelbourne.
CONNACHT (v Montferrand): R Lee; P Duignan, S Stephens, T Allnutt, D Yapp; E Elwood, J Ferris/B Shelbourne; J Screene, J McVeigh, M Cahill, R Frost, M McConnell, I Dillon, C Rigney, J O'Connor. Replacements - D Clare, AN Other, D Browne, G Schoeman, AN Other, M Smyth, M Murphy.
Northampton
Matt Dawson has been included in Northampton's 22-man squad for the holders' do-or-die Pool 1 match at home to Leinster after five months on the sidelines since suffering a dislocated shoulder last May.
However, Northampton will go into the Leinster clash without Tim Rodber through injury, and both captain Pat Lam and outhalf Paul Grayson will require late fitness checks on niggling problems.
England wing Ben Cohen is in the squad, despite not having trained this week due to his father being critically ill. Cohen asked to be considered for the Leinster match and Northampton are leaving the final decision to the player.
NORTHAMPTON (Squad) FORWARDS: Gary Pagel, Matt Stewart, Kelvin Todd, Steve Brotherstone, Jon Philips, Olivier Brouzet, Rob Hunter, Budge Poutney, Pat Lam, Grant Seely, Mark Soden. BACKS: Matt Dawson, Ali Hepher, Ben Cohen, Allen Bateman, Luca Martin, Simon Webster, Paul Grayson, James Bramhall, Ian Vass, Matt Allen.
Bath
Mike Catt trained yesterday with his Bath team-mates following their arrival in Limerick for tomorrow's clash with Munster and coach Jon Callard says that the English outhalf-cum-centre will be given every chance to prove his fitness after five weeks' absence through injury. However, Rob Thirlby and Jeremy Guscott have again been ruled out in an otherwise full strength compliment of players.
Castres
Munster's pool 4 rivals Castres have effectively been ruled of contention for a quarter-final place in this year's competition following ERC Ltd's decision to dock them two points for fielding an ineligible player, centre Norm Berryman, in their opening defeat against Bath last Saturday week.
The decision to punish Castres in similar fashion to London Irish in the Shield, to all intents and purposes leaves the French club stationed on minus two points after two games. Thus, with a reduced maximum of six points even if they were to win their final four games, club captain Jeremy Davidson admitted "we can't qualify now. There's no hope for us now in the European Cup. We're all absolutely shocked."
However, Davidson is now understandably fearful of a dilettante attitude from his players, who travel to Newport this Saturday with little or no motivation. Indeed, it would now be no surprise to see Newport and Bath emulate Munster in acquiring two valuable away points each against a disinterested Castres.
