European Cup: Team News

Leinster

Blackrock second row Leo Cullen has won the battle to partner Malcolm O'Kelly in Leinster's second row for their European Cup clash against Toulouse in Donnybrook tomorrow (7.0). Cullen has held off the challenge of both Trevor Brennan and Bob Casey.

Coach Matt Williams conceded it had been very difficult in deciding on the composition of the team because so many of the squad are playing well. Brennan has been outstanding for his province. Williams said: "Trevor has been playing outstanding rugby; defensively he is inspirational and a leader.

"I play 22 players and while he won't start he will be taking part in the game. I must also say that Leo Cullen has done a mountain of work . . . the hard yards you have to do in the tight, the clearing out and the tackling, in all these respects Leo has been outstanding. While not as devastating as Trevor in the tackle, Leo's enormously solid."

Williams is confident that both Brian O'Driscoll and Shane Horgan, named in the team, will recover from knocks sustained while playing for Ireland against Scotland in Murrayfield. The coach also asked Leinster supporters who attend tomorrow night's match to wear blue.

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy; N Spooner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, E Byrne; M O'Kelly, L Cullen; E Miller, V Costello, K Gleeson. Replacements: G Hickie, P Coyle, T Brennan, B Casey, B Willis, A Dunne, A Magro.

Munster

Alan Quinlan and John Hayes have been ruled out of the Munster team to play Castres at Thomond Park on Saturday.

Quinlan damaged a knee against Caerphilly and his place at blindside flanker goes to the former Australian international Jim Williams. Hayes received 22 stitches following a clash of heads at Murrayfield and so former Connacht tight head Martin Cahill has been drafted into the team.

Mick O'Driscoll will partner Mick Galwey in the second row. Coach Declan Kidney could pick only two non-European Union players in the match squad of 22 and this means that there is no place for former Wallaby John Langford. Williams and Jason Holland are the chosen "foreigners." Kidney pointed out that in Castres, Munster would have to play "as tough a game as we have faced in Europe".

MUNSTER: D Crotty; J Kelly, M Mullins, J Holland, A Horgan; R O'Gara, P Stringer; P Clohessy, F Sheahan, M Cahill; M Galwey (capt), M O'Driscoll; J Williams, A Foley, D Wallace. Replacements: M Horan, J Blaney, D O'Callaghan, P O'Connell, M Prendergast, K Keane, J Staunton.

Ulster

Jonathan Bell has shrugged off an Achilles tendon injury for Saturday's game against Benetton Treviso in Italy. Bell will partner the New Zealand-born Shane Stewart in the centre. There is no place, even among the replacements, for Adam Larkin.

Paul Shields has retained the hooker's position despite the presence of new signing, former New South Wales Waratah Mark Crick. Tony McWhirter is recalled to the back row but not in his favoured position of number eight. Russell Nelson retains the job of anchoring the back row with McWhirter at blindside flanker.

Captain Andy Ward changes sides to the exclusion of Neil McMillen. There is no place in the squad for Paddy Johns, with Mark Blair providing the second row cover. Kieron Campbell, Bryn Cunningham and Ryan Constable offer cover for the back line.

ULSTER: P Wallace; J Topping, S Stewart, J Bell, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, S Best; J Davidson, G Longwell; T McWhirter, R Nelson, A Ward (capt). Replacements: C Boyd, M Crick, M Blair, N McMillen, K Campbell, B Cunningham, R Constable.

Connacht

Coach Steph Nel has made two changes from the team that thrashed Caerphilly in their final Celtic League match for tomorrow's Shield game against Narbonne at Ericsson Park.

Pat Duignan comes in on the right wing in place of Martin McPhail while Mark McConnell returns to the second row instead of Alan Maher.

McPhail drops to the replacements where he is joined by second row Damien Browne and Mark McHugh, who have both recovered from injuries that prevented them from taking part in the Caerphilly match. Tomorrow's match (7.0) will be the first played under the newly installed floodlights at Ericsson Park.

CONNACHT: G Duffy; P Duignan, D Yapp, T Allnutt, W Munn; E Elwood, E Reddan; D McFarland, M Uijs, P Bracken; M McConnell (capt), R Frost; P Neville, D Dillon, J O'Connor. Replacements: R McCormack, T Kearns, D Browne, J Charlie, J Ferris, M McHugh, M McPhail.