Will Humphreys get out half berth?

THE main focus of attention this weekend will be off, rather than on the field of play, for there is no doubt that it will be on the announcement of the Ireland team to play France in Paris next Saturday.

After the manager Pat Whelan tells the team, it will be announced at a press conference shortly after one o'clock this afternoon. There is no doubt that there will be changes from the side that lost to and played so badly against. Scotland but how radical an approach the selectors will take is another matter.

Four members of the squad will not be present to hear the team as they will be engaged with their clubs in English Cup ties that is if the weather does not cause postponements. They are Jim Staples (Harlequins), Conor O'Shea (London Irish), Nick Popplewell (Newcastle)and the man called in on Tuesday night after his fine performance for Ulster, David Humphreys (London Irish). Simon Geoghegan has not been chosen in the Bath team to play Wakefield, so he will be in Dublin today.

There is an 11.15 inspection of the Newcastle ground this morning to deter mine if the game between Newcastle and Harlequins goes ahead. This match brings Popplewell and Staples into opposition. Even if the match is postponed, there is no way either man will be in Dublin for the training session this afternoon or the team announcement.

Pat Whelan has stood firm on his decision that Niall Hogan (Terenure College) and Eric Elwood (Lansdowne) will not be released to be play in the Leinster Senior League final. While one understands the disappointment of the two clubs at being without these players, it must be born in mind that many of the clubs played their league matches without their representative figures.

The purpose of reviving the provincial senior leagues was to give the clubs competition while the All Ireland League was not being played and when the provinces were engaged in the European Cup and Interprovincial series. Furthermore, clubs were involved in senior cup ties last week and did so without those who had played for Leinster on Friday night.

The Ireland squad will have three sessions and all are scheduled for Lansdowne Road. One takes place this afternoon and there are two scheduled for tomorrow, morning and afternoon.

Today's final of the Leinster Senior League, a competition sponsored by Kitty O'Shea, has been switched to Castle Avenue (2.45) because of the ground conditions at Donnybrook. Here, a senior friendly between the tenant clubs Old Wesley and Bective Rangers had been arranged prior to the league final and that game still stands.

The meeting of Lansdowne and Terenure could provide a worthy conclusion to the competition. In addition to being without Hogan (for whom Bobby O'Brien will deputise), Terenure will miss their international full back. Ciaran Clarke. He has not recovered from the knee injury he sustained playing for Leinster against New South Wales a week ago. Terenure will have Girvan Dempsey at full back.

Lansdowne name Johnny Woods at outside half in the absence of Elwood. Woods played in the league semi final against Monkstown.

Lansdowne will be favourites to take the title and, even without Elwood, can still call on a host of representative players and that kind of experience could be very important. Behind the scrum they have internationals in Darragh O'Mahony, Brian Glennon and Fergus Aherne, and interprovincials in Ray Hennessy, Rody Corrigan and Alan Reddan. In the pack, Angus McKeen, Mark McDermott, Paul O'Connor, Shane Leahy and Stephen Rooney have all played at interprovincial level.

Terenure cannot match that level of representative figures. In fact with Hogan and Clarke ruled out, not one other member of their side has played at senior representative level. But they have had an impressive league campaign, and, like their opponents, go into the match with a 100 per cent record.

Terenures only previous win in the senior league was attained in 1984. Lansdowne have won it on six occasions, the last in 1988. They have just one survivor from the side that took that title, second row Paul O'Connor. Their current coach and his assistant, Paul Clinch and Vincent Ryan, were both on the team.

In the event of the sides being level at the end of 80 minutes, extra time will be played.

The remaining first round Ulster Senior Cup tie between Omagh and Ballymena, which has been postponed twice, is due to go ahead this afternoon. Ballymena will be without Ireland squad member David Tweed, but should prove too good for the junior side and earn a second round game, against the holders Dungannon.

There are also two second round cup ties today, Bangor against City of Derry and Collegians against Enniskillen, as well as three league matches, CIYMS v Armagh, NIFC v Malone and Queen's University v Dungannon.

In Connacht, the schedule includes two league matches - Buccaneers v Corinthians: and Westport v Sligo, while in Dublin, Trinity meet UCC in a Dudley Cup match at College Park.