Champions' strength in depth will be fully tested by Llanelli

Ulster v Llanelli preview:  The reigning champions kick off the defence of their hard-won league title with a swift example of how they've become victims of their own success.

Not alone are they now more of a prized scalp, but the individual rewards for last season's collective achievement leave them without their half-dozen Irish summer tourists for the opening four rounds of the competition.

With the Bests, Rory, Neil and Simon, along with Isaac Boss, strike runner Andrew Trimble and the league's leading try scorer last season, Tommy Bowe, all in cold storage, so to speak, their strength in depth is to be immediately tested.

It also prevents Ulster from establishing the kind of settled team that enabled them to win five of their first six league games last season with a virtually unchanged line-up.

As they would have complained about their relative lack of Ireland representation in recent years, they can't very well complain now; a point that head coach Mark McCall is obliged to accept.

"It's 'catch 22'. One of our goals was to produce players for the Irish team. Unfortunately, the downside of that is when this happens. But from our point of view we want to get our guys pushing for places in the Irish team and for the World Cup. And it does give other people an opportunity."

At least the benefits of David Humphreys's decision to retire from test rugby and focus his energies on Ulster allow their talismanic outhalf to line up this evening, he and Justin Fitzpatrick having overcome injury scares to take their place. Roger Wilson, too, is back in the fray after his post-Churchill Cup suspension.

Nevertheless, by contrast Llanelli, who will also be one of Ulster's European Cup opponents, have no such international restraints.

In their first league outing without Gareth Jenkins at the helm, Phil Davies is able to play all his frontliners, including the prodigal Stephen Jones, who thus resumes his Wales and Lions halfback partnership with Dwayne Peel.

The Scarlets possibly have the best backline of all the Welsh outfits, and while questions remain about the strength of their tight forwards, they look like dangerous first-up opponents for the champions, and McCall readily names them as potential winners of the competition.

Admittedly, many of the auguries are encouraging for McCall's team. For example, thus far the reigning champions have always managed to win their opening match of the season.

For their part, Llanelli haven't won away from home in 2006, their last win on the road being against the Dragons on December 23rd last year.

The theory goes that it's harder to retain a title than it is to initially win it, but Ulster will be determined not to let last season become a one-off.

"It was a satisfying year but we are not satisfied with one good year and we are aiming to be consistently successful," said McCall. Nevertheless, a demanding opening schedule will rapidly test their resolve and resources.

Unlike Munster and Leinster, Ulster do not have a free weekend in the opening month; four of their first six games are away from home, and privately, they can't be too enamoured of having two of their first three home games shifted to a Saturday slot.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; M Bartholomeusz, P Steinmetz, P Wallace, A Maxwell; D Humphreys, K Campbell; J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, T Court; J Harrison (capt), T Barker; S Ferris, N McMillan, R Wilson. Replacements: N Brady, D Fitzpatrick, M McCullough, K Dawson, P Marshall, K Maggs, S Young.

LLANELLI: M Thomas; D James, R King, G Evans, D Daniel; S Jones, D Peel (capt); P John, M Rees, J Davies; L Reed, S Macleod; I Afeaki, G Thomas, N Thomas. Replacements: C Dunlea, K Owens, A Jones, A Popham, C Stuart-Smith, C Thomas, M Watkins.

Referee: Andy Ireland (Scotland).

The Statistics

Previous meetings: (03-04) Ulster 10 Llanelli 9; Llanelli 23 Ulster 16; (04-05) Llanelli 22 Ulster 9; Ulster 16 Llanelli 3; (05-06) Ulster 30 Llanelli 13; Ulster 12 Llanelli 12.

Last season's leading points scorers: Ulster: David Humphreys 229. Llanelli: Mike Hercus 87.

Last season's leading try scorers: Ulster: Tommy Bowe 10, Andy Maxwell, Andrew Trimble 6 each. Llanelli: Lee Byrne, Mark Jones 6 each, Dafydd James, Regan King 5 each. Forecast: Llanelli to win.

Also playing: Ospreys v Edinburgh (5.30).

Free weekend: Leinster.