Scally and Cullen called up

Leinster coach Mike Ruddock has drafted two of the province's young elite, Ciaran Scally and Leo Cullen into the travelling 22-man squad for Saturday's Guinness Interprovincial clash with Connacht at the Sportsground. Blackrock second row Hubie Kos and Lansdowne's David O'Mahony lose out.

Scally and Cullen came on as substitutes in Leinster's friendly victory over the Edinburgh Reivers and Ruddock has decided that their respective talents could prove useful in Galway. The latter emphasised the try scoring ability of powerhouse scrum-half Scally and the belief that matches now required 22 and not 15 players.

Cullen, captain of last year's Ireland Under-21 Triple Crown winning side, can play in either the second or backrows, is noted for his mobility, work-rate and prowess out of touch. Their elevation is in keeping with Ruddock's dictum that age should never be a barrier.

O'Mahony and Terenure's Derek Hegarty have both been provided with ample opportunity to claim the Leinster number nine jersey: neither has accomplished this task with the requisite assurance of performance. It will be interesting to note how Scally fares when the opportunity arises either from the start or, more likely, the bench.

Kevin Nowlan and Denis Hickie will both be acutely aware that, should they make the team, a huge improvement is required. Both were fragile defensively against Stade Francais and nothing less then a convincing all round display will suffice in Galway.

Ruddock confirmed that he would not announce a team until Saturday morning, thereby allowing Martin Ridge (calf) and Trevor Brennan (ankle) the maximum recovery time.

Connacht, still without Eric Elwood, have retained the backline that played against Newport in the European Shield last week.

There are two changes in the pack. Martin Cahill is recalled at tighthead with Mick Finlay dropping to the bench while Shane McEntee, introduced as a substitute against the Welsh side, retains his place in preference to Ian Dillon.

The Bohemian flanker was suffering from an illness prior to the match and also sustained damage to a hand. Coach Glenn Ross conceded that it represented a tight call to prefer McEntee for the Leinster game.

Mental baggage, a phrase that has dominated Ross' thoughts on Connacht performances in the interprovincial campaign is still something of a bugbear for the New Zealand born coach. "I think that Connacht carried round a great deal of mental baggage about the other three.

"The time has come for that to stop. We have got to stop worrying about the others and concentrate on what we do best." The last sentiment is one with which Munster coach Declan Kidney could empathise.

He shares the belief that the interpros have seen the provinces focusing on each other to almost an unhealthy extent, trying to stop other teams playing rather than concentrating on improving and streamlining a team's own game plan. "It's funny, in the European Cup where the knowledge of opponents is more patchy, we tend to concentrate on our own performance.

"In the interpros it is the opposite and that maybe why the matches tend to be tense, tight affairs with the emphasis on stopping opponents playing." He acknowledges that Saturday's game against Ulster, "is the most important, even more so than those we have played in the last two weeks."

Munster retain the same team from that which beat Neath in the European Cup. Cian Mahony, Barry Everitt and Mick O'Driscoll are rewarded for good performances. Kidney will announce the replacements after checking on the latest medical prognosis regarding Killian Keane, Ronan O'Gara and Shane Leahy.

Kidney admitted: "We will wait until closer to the weekend to see if those players are available for selection. Ronan has not quite pulled his hamstring but received a second warning prior to the Ulster match.

"Killian did a bit more work this week than last. We can't afford to have anyone less than 100 per cent fit. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this match for both teams."

Ulster will announce their team later today but seem set to be without Ireland A international Jan Cunningham.