Ulster hope to catch Stade at good time

European Cup team news:  The portents are ominous as Ulster's season threatens to disintegrate further at Stade Jean Bouin on Saturday when they take on Stade Francais in the European Cup. Mark McCall's side were comfortably beaten last weekend by a Llanelli side light years removed from the French challenge they face at the weekend.reports

Stade Francais are unbeaten in Europe, having taken a maximum 10 points from their two outings to date. McCall yesterday announced four alterations from the side that lost in Wales, three behind the scrum. Scott Young has nudged ahead of Andy Maxwell in the contest between the two young wings, while Irish squad members Kevin Maggs and David Humphreys are restored to the team.

Maggs replaces New Zealander Paul Steinmetz in the centre with the latter dropping to the bench, a fate that also befalls Adam Larkin on Humphreys return. Campbell Feather's form for Ulster is reflected in the fact McCall made him captain a few weeks ago in Andy Ward's continued absence. The Scot moves from number eight to blindside flanker to accommodate the return of Roger Wilson after an ankle injury.

In the ensuing reshuffle, the athletic lock Matt McCullough returns to the second row having played on the flank, with Gary Longwell dropping to the bench.

Ulster talisman Ward is likely to be out until after Christmas, a fate he'll share with tighthead prop Simon Best who damaged a leg when coming on as a replacement in Ireland's victory over the USA at Lansdowne Road a couple of weeks ago. Best could be back for the Celtic League game against Edinburgh but a more likely return date is the Leinster match just after Christmas.

Tim Barker is named among the replacements, the versatile forward able to cover second and back rows. Gary Brown would have been a contender having seen more competitive game time this season but he wasn't registered for the competition.

Ulster produced one of their best performance's last season at Saturday's venue when they lost 13-10 and hopes of bettering that performance will be bolstered by the fact Stade Francais will be without several players.

French international props Pieter de Villiers and Sylvain Marconnet are out injured and this precipitated an emergency call for Argentinian prop Rodrigo Roncero. The Parisian club had originally released him to play for his country against South Africa in Buenos Aires at the weekend but the double injury setback means he's been recalled.

Agustin Pichot has been released for international duty, Italian Mauro Bergamasco is likely to miss both ties, while there is also a doubt about flanker Remy Martin.

Munster's opponents, Castres Olympique have selected a strong side for tomorrow night's game at Stade Pierre Antoine and included is former Ireland international loosehead prop Justin Fitzpatrick, one of nine internationals. It's an eclectic mix with French, Irish, Italian, English and Uruguayan Test players.

Interestingly, there is no place on the team or among the replacements for Yann Delaigue, the brilliant former Toulouse playmaker, who has been such a feature for Castres this season.

The club's all-time leading try scorer in Europe, Ugo Mola (13), is named at fullback while former London Wasps player Mark Denney will form a midfield partnership with young Laurent Marticorena in the absence of the injured Argentinian Jose Maria Nunez Piossek.

The man who led Argentina at Lansdowne Road last weekend, Mario Ledesma, is in the middle of the all-international front row.

On the bench, and particularly relevant in the light of last week's "Gouge-Gate" is another Puma, Mauricio Reggiardo, who was suspended for just such an offence following the Argentina-Ireland game at the 2003 World Cup in Australia.

Uruguay's Rodrigo Cap Ortega is named in the back row alongside another former Wasp and ex-England international Paul Volley. There is plenty of experience on the bench manifest in the presence of former Test players Reggiardo, Romain Froment and Richard Dourthe.

Former Munster and Ireland second row Mick O'Driscoll won't be in the Perpignan team to take on the Gwent Dragons as he's been ruled out through injury.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley is beset by problems for Saturday's European Challenge Cup first-leg clash with Montpellier at the Sportsground. During last weekend's fine win over the Gwent Dragons, both centre Darren Yapp and flanker Matt Lacey suffered shoulder injuries that not only ruled them out of Saturday's game but make them borderline in terms of selection for the second leg seven days later.

The team shows five changes in personnel as well as sundry positional switches. Ted Robinson is back on the right wing in place of Justin Meagher with Paul Warwick moving from outhalf to centre to replace Yapp. Eric Elwood will wear the number 10 jersey.

Ray Hogan and Bernard Jackman are restored to the front row in place of Dan McFarland and John Fogarty, the latter pair dropping to the bench. Michael Swift comes in at blindside flanker with Johnny Muldoon switching flanks to replace Lacey.

There are five forwards named on the bench including two props in McFarland and Peter Bracken, Ireland under-21 international flanker Brendan O'Connor and two scrumhalves in Conor O'Loughlin and Mike Walls to cover the entire back line.

The game is all-ticket and they can be purchased from the Connacht Branch offices and at www.connachtrugby.ie.

CONNACHT: M Mostyn; T Robinson, P Warwick, J Downey, C McPhillips; E Elwood, C Keane; R Hogan, B Jackman, S Knoop; C Short, A Farley (capt); M Swift, J O 'Sullivan, J Muldoon. Replacements: J Fogarty, D McFarland, P Bracken, P Myburgh, B O'Connor, C O'Loughlin, M Walls.

ULSTER: B Cunningham; S Young, J Bell, K Maggs, T Bowe; D Humphreys, K Campbell; R McCormack, P Shields, R Moore; R Frost, M McCullough; C Feather, R Wilson, N Best. Replacements: N Brady, B Young, G Longwell, T Barker, N Doak, A Larkin, P Steinmetz.

CASTRES OLYMPIQUE: U Mola; B Fleming, L Marticorena, M Denney, D Bory; X Sadourny, A Albouy; J Fitzpatrick, M Ledesma, A Galasso; L Nallet, N Spanghero, A Bias, R Capo Ortega, P Volley. Replacements: R Vigneaux, M Reggiardo, R Froment, J Deen, N Morlaes, R Dourthe, B Lhande.