Previews

Leinster v Glasgow, Donnybrook (7.35, live on TG4) - Nathan Spooner's troublesome shoulder injury has forced him to withdraw, so Andy Dunne will start at outhalf for Leinster, aware that the injured Emmet Farrell will be challenging for the role in about a month. David Quinlan comes into the replacements.

Injuries have deprived Dunne of large chunks of two seasons. A good placekicker and extremely quick, he will be judged on his ability to bring those around him into the game and to a lesser extent on his defence.

Brian O'Driscoll and Malcolm O'Kelly won't return to first-team duty for a couple of weeks so for Australian Adam Magro and the young Blackrock second row pairing of Bob Casey and Leo Cullen, opportunity knocks. Keith Gleeson - Dublin-born, but educated in Australia - should provide his new team-mates with the continuity and quick ball they crave.

According to coach Matt Williams the players have worked hard on their mental attitude, upped the work-rate during the pre-season fitness schedule and spent more time working on skill levels. If that's translated to the playing fields then Leinster will a hugely formidable proposition for any team.

Glasgow include their two Lions in Andy Nicol - he sat on the bench for the third Test - and Gordon Bulloch, and like any well-coached Scottish side will offer a stern examination of rucking skills, a high-tempo contest and a traditional interpretation of the offside law.

Leinster: G Dempsey; D Hickie, A Magro, S Horgan, G D'Arcy; A Dunne, B O'Meara; R Corrigan, S Byrne, P Coyle, R Casey, L Cullen, T Brennan, V Costello, K Gleeson.

Glasgow: G Kiddie; J Steel, J McLaren, A Henderson, R Kerr; T Hayes, A Nicol (capt); D Hilton, G Bulloch, L Harrison, S Griffiths, J White, G Simpson, J Petrie, D MacFadyen.

Referee: P Adams (Wales).

Edinburgh v Munster Edinburgh (7.0) - The Scottish side boasts eight internationals, including mercurial full back Chris Paterson and young number eight Simon Taylor, whose unfortunate injury while playing superbly in his first game for the Lions was a blight on the recent tour.

Happily recovered after surgery, Taylor forms a powerful back row with Don Mackinnon and Scottish international Martin Leslie in a highly-rated Edinburgh side.

Ronan O'Gara and John Langford the two most notable Munster absentees. No decision will be taken on John O'Neill's injury until this afternoon so Dominic Crotty and Conor Mahony have travelled.

Jason Holland will be a pivotal figure at outhalf, with veterans Peter Clohessy and Mick Galwey expected to provide leadership and John Hayes and Frankie Sheahan the hard graft.

If the Edinburgh back row can be considered excellent then their Munster counterparts lose nothing in comparison. Alan Quinlan, Anthony Foley and David Wallace will be hoping to produce the quality of performance as they managed at national and provincial level last season.

For second row Mick O'Driscoll it is a chance to advance a case ahead of Langford's return to Ireland.

Edinburgh: C Paterson; C Murray, M di Rollo, C Howarth, C Sherman; D Hodge, G Burns (capt); A Jacobsen, S Scott, C Smith, A Dall, R Metcalfe, D Mackinnon, S Taylor, M Leslie.

Munster: J Staunton; J O'Neill/D Crotty, M Mullins, J Kelly, A Horgan; J Holland, P Stringer; P Clohessy, F Sheahan, J Hayes, M Galwey, M O'Driscoll, A Quinlan, A Foley, D Wallace.

Referee: N Williams (Wales)

Ulster v Swansea, Ravenhill (7.30) - The Welsh visitors are handicapped by several high-profile absentees from their starting lineup including Lions Scott Gibbs, Colin Charvis, Darren Morris and Mark Taylor, yet they could still present a strong challenge to the home side.

Outhalf Gavin Henson played for Wales at under-19, under-21 and senior level last season and is the player tipped to be the long-term successor to Neil Jenkins. Irish squad member Shaun Payne is in the centre.

Ulster coach Alan Solomons has decided to start the former Ireland Under-19 outhalf Paddy Wallace at full back and opts for the centre partnership of Johnny Bell and Adam Larkin, with Ryan Constable on the bench.

Jeremy Davidson will also be risking a few splinters initially as Paddy Johns and Gary Longwell represent the first-choice locks. Tonight represents a decent examination of Ulster's ability in the tight, not least the scrum. New captain Andy Ward is at t he hub of what is a talented and physically strong back row.

It will be interesting to see whether Ulster use David Humphreys to hug the touchlines and rely on their powerful maul or choose a more fluent approach that will provide work for wings James Topping and Jan Cunningham.

Ulster: P Wallace; J Topping, J Bell, A Larkin, J Cunningham; D Humphreys, B Free; J Fitzpatrick, P Shields, S Best, P Johns, G Longwell, R Brink, T McWhirter, A Ward (capt).

Swansea: K Morgan; R Rees, S Payne, S Winn, M Robinson; G Henson, S Martens, B Evans, L Jones, J Griffiths, G Lewis, H Jenkins, D Thomas.

Referee: C White (England).