Jones cleared to face Munster in European Cup

 Rugby News round-upNeath-Swansea Ospreys' number eight Ryan Jones, who was shown a straight red card for stamping on Munster's Donncha O'Callaghan in last week's top of the table Celtic League match, will not suffer any further disciplinary action.

A Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) disciplinary hearing ruled that the sending-off was sufficient punishment.

This means the promising international will be available for Wales at the start of the Six Nations and when the two sides meet again on January 8th in the European Cup at Thomond Park.

Munster have heard nothing official regarding allegations that the Ospreys are to cite Peter Stringer after the predictably tense meeting between the sides at Musgrave Park, which Alan Gaffney's team won 15-9.

Gaffney has named a 25-man squad, with all those rested last week drafted back in, for Monday's Celtic League cum interprovincial tie against Connacht at the Sportsground in Galway.

As expected, John Kelly and David Wallace have not been considered because of injury, but Munster also go into action without international halfbacks Ronan O'Gara and Stringer. Paul Burke replaces O'Gara and either Eoin Reddan or Mike Prendergast will take over at scrumhalf.

Connacht held off naming a squad until today as they are waiting on the availability of Darren Yapp and Matt Lacey. Kick-off is 2 p.m. with tickets available from 12.20 at the gate.

Meanwhile, Irish centre pairing Brian O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy will be in the Leinster squad to face Ulster on Monday evening at Donnybrook.

Coach Declan Kidney yesterday named a 27-man panel ahead of their Celtic League clash, which also doubles up as a mini-interprovincial series that culminates with a trip to Musgrave Park on New Year's Day.

After playing non-stop for both province and country in recent weeks, Girvan Dempsey has been rested while Blackrock winger Gary Brown is out injured.

Malcolm O'Kelly is another expected to be given some down time when the final squad is finalised after training tomorrow.

At present, Shane Horgan and Denis Hickie are back to face the strongest Ulster line-up Mark McCall can put on the pitch.

The northern province select today with their main concern surrounding the troublesome toe injury of David Humphreys. He played through the pain barrier in the crucial December 11th European Cup victory over Stade Francais but has not trained this week.

Captain Andy Ward is not expected back until the New Year's Day clash with Connacht at Ravenhill, while Scott Young is still out with a hamstring strain he sustained against Stade.

Good news comes in the form of Jonathan Bell's return from a broken nose. Presuming Bell gets the nod over Kiwi Paul Steinmetz to partner Kevin Maggs in midfield, two out-of-favour Irish centres will come up against the potential Lions pairing of D'Arcy and O'Driscoll.

"When Maggsy signed this year he said the only game he wanted to play in was the December 27th fixture against Leinster in Donnybrook. That's how eager he is to face them," said Ulster manager John McComish. "That is worth the ticket price alone."

The Southern Hemisphere's three major unions have signed a $323 million (€185 million) five-year contract with News Limited NWS.N and South Africa's Supersport to secure the financial future of the expanded Tri-nations and Super 14.

After months of speculation SANZAR, the governing body of the South African, New Zealand and Australian unions, announced it had agreed to extend the current 10-year deal, which expires at the end of 2005, through to 2010.

The new agreement covers broadcast rights for the three SANZAR countries and Britain, with News Limited acquiring the rights for New Zealand, Australia and Britain and Supersport securing the rights for Africa.

The Tri-nations will be increased from two to three rounds, taking the total number of Test matches from six to nine.

And two new teams will be added to the expanded Super 14 provincial tournament, lifting the number of matches from 69 to 94.

MUNSTER SQUAD: C Cullen, S Payne, M Lawlor, J Storey, P Devlin, J Holland, R Henderson, A Horgan, P Burke, E Reddan, M Prendergast, M Horan, J Hayes, M Storey, G McIlwham, F Sheahan, J Flannery, P O'Connell, D O'Callaghan, T Hogan, D Leamy, S Keogh, A Quinlan, J Williams, A Foley.

LEINSTER SQUAD: J McWeeney, F Contepomi, D Hickie, S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, G D'Arcy, D Quinlan, K Lewis, D Holwell, B O'Riordan, G Easterby, B O'Meara, R Corrigan (capt), J Lyne, S Byrne, D Blaney, G Hickie, E Byrne, R Nebbett, L Cullen, B Gissing, M O'Kelly, C Potts, A McCullen, V Costello, S Jennings, E Miller.