Boost for Leinster as Hickie set to return

Encouraging news from the Leinster camp indicates that Irish winger Denis Hickie is likely to be fit for Leinster's European Cup pool six match in Newport on Friday evening. Hickie, who damaged a shoulder last weekend, was medically cleared yesterday and is expected to take his place on the Leinster wing. Although the finalised team will be announced today, it is expected that Hickie will join Brian O'Driscoll and Peter McKenna in the back line.

O'Driscoll has been involved in full training for two days with no ill effects to his knee and finger injuries, while McKenna is expected to come in at full back for Girvan Dempsey, who has been forced to rest an Achilles injury. Dempsey's injury is wear and tear and he was advised to take a rest to allow it to settle down.

With O'Driscoll back in the outside centre position partnering Shane Horgan, Adam Magro will probably revert back to the bench.

Ulster coach Alan Solomons is also relieved to have Irish outhalf David Humphreys and second row international Gary Longwell back in the side to face Stade Francais on Friday at Ravenhill Road. Humphreys, having limped from the pitch at Lansdowne Road in Ireland's match against England, missed Saturday's encounter with the French side and instead had to watch as his team went down 40-11.

Humphreys' return sees Solomons shuffle his back line with Paddy Wallace moving from outhalf to outside centre for Shane Stewart, who was carried off in Paris with medial ligament damage to his knee.

The second row is also strengthened with the return of Longwell. The 100-capped Ulster lock has recovered from the broken finger which has kept him out of action for three weeks. He came off the bench in Paris in the second half for Paddy Johns and came through untroubled. The team, otherwise, is the same as that which started against Stade.

"David (Humphreys) and Gary (Longwell) will make a big difference," said Solomons yesterday. "David has immense experience and does make a difference to the team. Gary came on in Paris and now has 25 minutes in the tank. His finger is alright again and he is ready to go.

"As for Shane (Stewart), we won't know the prognosis for a few days. He has damaged his knee ligaments and will be certainly out for several weeks.

"But we've got to target home games even against the strongest sides. We played poorly in the first half in Paris and hung off our tackles but I think in the second half there was very little between the two sides."

Connacht, who travel to Heywood Road for a difficult assignment against Sale Sharks, welcome the return of their big tackling and ballcarrying back row Johnny O'Connor. O'Connor's three-week suspension is now completed and he comes into consideration. O'Connor will probably come in for Junior Charlie when the team is selected this afternoon.

There was no word on the condition of outhalf Eric Elwood, who limped off the pitch against Sale with a groin strain that he had carried into the match. The team is hopeful Elwood will be fit to play in the return match.

Other problems for coach Steph Nel are the continued unavailability of Des Dillon, who will be out for around 10 weeks as well as Mark McConnell and Marnus Uijs, both of whom are injured and will be out of circulation for about two months.

Munster report no serious injury worries after their win over Bridgend and will announce their team this afternoon to again face the Welsh side, this time in Musgrave Park.

The Irish squad to play in one test against the touring Samoan side on November 11th will be announced today.

ULSTER (v Stade Francais, Friday, Ravenhill Road 6.50): B Cunningham; J Topping, P Wallace, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, S Best, G Longwell, M Blair, T McWhirter, A Ward (capt), R Nelson. Replacements: M Crick, C Boyd, P Johns, N McMillen, B Free, A Larkin, S Coulter.