Leinster forced to reshuffle

RUGBY: With Rugby World Cup memories beginning to fade and the focus now on the domestic scene, several players will be given an opportunity to impress the Irish management, starting on Friday at Donnybrook.

Leinster will attempt to reduce Ulster's lead at the top of the Celtic League, at the rearranged time of 7.35 p.m. due to TG4's live coverage of the encounter.

They'll have to do it without injured international duo Eric Miller and Girvan Dempsey. Miller has not recovered from the shoulder damage he sustained against Cardiff, while Dempsey is nursing a slight hamstring strain he picked up over the Christmas holidays. Both are expected to be fit for next week's European Cup match against Sale.

In Miller's absence Aidan McCullen returns to the starting line-up after being out since October 10th with a fractured scaphoid. Malcolm O'Kelly trained yesterday suggesting he has recovered from flu.

A slight reshuffle in the back line sees Gordan D'Arcy move to full back and Brendan Burke come in on the wing.

With Denis Hickie a long-term absentee, the Barnhall winger has an opportunity to live up to his growing reputation. Ulster's James Topping will provide the required test.

Christian Warner fends off Felipe Contepomi for the number 10 shirt, with continuity the top priority considering next week's European match, but the Argentinian international is expected to make his home debut at some stage in the game.

The Leinster front-row crisis has been well documented this season and with John Lyne, Emmet Byrne and Niall Treston still injured, UCD's Jason Moran is named as a replacement.

Ulster's international lock Gary Longwell is still unable to force his way into Alan Solomons's starting line-up. The South African coach has remained loyal to the second-row pairing of Rowan Frost and Matt Mustchin, which helped them to victory over Edinburgh in the Celtic Cup final a fortnight ago. A fit-again Ryan Constable is not even among the replacements.

Paddy Wallace will be pleased with his selection. After a frustrating few weeks since he returned from an equally frustrating World Cup experience, he appears to have reclaimed the fullback slot from Bryn Cunningham after two impressive displays against Stade Francais and Edinburgh. With Geordan Murphy also set to miss the Six Nations through injury, Wallace is once again the primary challenger to Dempsey's international starting role.

The main concern for Ulster since their return from the Christmas break has been the lack of preparation because of the weather. Leinster gained further ground on them yesterday when the Irish training camp was postponed - both the Naas and Terenure pitches were unplayable - and their internationals returned for the afternoon session.

"Leinster has nine of Ireland's starting line-up - including six of the pack - and it is a massive challenge for us against the premier side in Ireland who can also boast the country's premier player in Brian O'Driscoll," said Solomons.

"We had extremely tough back-to-back games against Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup and Edinburgh Rugby in the Celtic Cup final so the players fully deserved their five days off over Christmas. They had to have that time away as we go into such a heavy and demanding schedule."

The sides served up an exciting match this season, in the semi-final of the Celtic Cup, when Solomons's side progressed as they scored more tries (3-2) after the sides were level, 23-23, after extra-time.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Bell looks set to miss the rest of the season after undergoing achilles tendon surgery.

ULSTER: P Wallace; J Topping, S Stewart, P Steinmetz, T Howe; D Humphreys, N Doak; R Kempson, M Sexton, S Best, R Frost, M Mustchin, A Ward, N Best, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields, R Moore, M McCullough, W Brosnihan, K Campbell, A Larkin, B Cunningham.

LEINSTER: G D'Arcy; J McWeeney, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, B Burke; C Warner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan, S Byrne, P Coyle, M O'Kelly, B Gissing, A McCullen, K Gleeson, V Costello. Replacements: J Moran, G Hickie, D Dillon, S Jennings, B O'Riordan, F Contepomi, D Quinlan.