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RUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE: Ulster v Leinster:LATE YESTERDAY afternoon, about 100 Ulster fans gathered outside Ravenhill to buy the last tickets for this evening’s summit meeting. The visit of the European champions is the perfect antidote to Ulster’s Euro defeat last week in Edinburgh and this evening will be a mouth-watering sell-out.

However, Wallace has been withdrawn at the behest of the IRFU as part of their so-called World Cup Programme, in readiness for a tournament that is almost two years away. Careful husbandry of Ireland’s relatively small pool of internationals has been integral to the recent highs, and all the more so when set against Martin Johnson’s list of injured players. This is despite the English clubs also having to obey limits on the numbers of matches their players can play in this first phase of the season.