Connacht set sights on European Cup place

It's a critical weekend for Connacht in the Celtic League and coach Michael Bradley will again ask his side for a huge effort in their final home game against The Ospreys on Sunday at the Sportsground, a side they have not lost to in their last three meetings. However, Connacht's focus is now set on a Heineken European Cup place next season.

Connacht are firstly hoping Ulster will do them a big favour by beating Cardiff in the Arms Park on Friday night before they face into their game against this season's league winners. A win for both Irish provinces would mean Connacht will likely finish above Cardiff in the table, and be the team to face the third-placed Italian side, currently Calvisano, for a place in next season's European Cup. Cardiff are five points behind Bradley's team.

Although Ospreys have won the league and are playing their last match, they do have a number of international players still hoping to be on the plane with the Lions this summer. It is also the chance for supporters to see one of the province's greatest players, outhalf Eric Elwood, perform in his last home match after 17 years.

Team-wise Darren Yapp is doubtful for the start, while inside centre James Downey appears to have recovered more quickly than expected from his shoulder injury. The starting team will not be selected until later in the week.

Ulster coach Mark McCall has named his side to face Cardiff. The backline is unchanged from that which defeated The Borders, while in the frontrow Rod Moore comes in with Simon Best switching to loosehead prop and Ronan McCormack dropping to the bench. Gavin Pfister replaces the injured Neil Best.

The game marks secondrow Gary Longwell's 150th Ulster cap and brings his career run with the province to 14 years. Now Ulster's longest serving player, Longwell made his Ulster debut in 1991 as a 19-year-old. He was a member of Ulster's European Cup winning side in 1999.

With Longwell's longevity being celebrated, so too is scrumhalf Neil Doak's service. The former international cricketer - who made his Ulster debut in 1995, played 75 times for the province and made eight appearances for Ireland A - has announced he will retire from representative rugby at the end of this season. He will return to a position with the IRFU Ulster Branch as a high performance coach with a responsibility for elite players at Academy Level 1 (16- to 19- year-olds).

All sides in the Celtic League are also vying for a top-eight finish. Those top teams will advance into a straight knockout competition for the Celtic Cup where they will be seeded one to eight depending on where they finish in the table.

Leinster flanker Shane Jennings has confirmed he has signed a two-year contract with Leicester. Jennings was dropped and replaced by Keith Gleeson for Leinster's European Cup quarter-final against Leicester last weekend and will join Irish fullback Geordan Murphy.

Munster won't select a team to face The Borders until later in the week.

The new Munster coach is likely to be confirmed tomorrow after interviews were conducted yesterday. It is believed there were just two candidates to succeed Alan Gaffney - Declan Kidney and Michael Bradley. Kidney's position as Leinster coach will be discussed at a team management meeting tonight.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; T Bowe, K Maggs, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys, K Campbell; S Best, P Shields, R Moore, G Longwell, M McCullough, A Ward (capt), G Pfister, R Wilson.